The fifth time was the charm. We’ve had to wait longer this season than usual to see Miguel Ángel Jiménez fighting again for a victory in the PGA Tour Champions until the last strokes. But it has arrived. It happened this Sunday at the Hoag Classic, the fifth event of the American senior calendar held in Newport Beach, California. The Malaga native knocked on the door with force, while José María Olazábal gave us his best version in four years. A magnificent balance.
Jiménez, who turned 60 last January, battled in the final round against two old acquaintances: Padraig Harrington and Thongchai Jaidee. Two golfers eight and six years younger than Miguel, with whom he has fought many good battles in the past. The age difference in the Champions is significant and that’s why it’s very meritorious that the man from Churriana continues to fight, competing for victories against players who are in some cases ten years younger.
Jiménez got into the fight for victory with a sensational eagle on hole 15. A trademark move. A shot from the fairway that was not far from being an albatross. He left the eagle given and placed himself one stroke behind Harrington, the tournament leader until that moment. A double bogey from the Irishman on the 16th tightened everything up a lot more, placing Jiménez as the tied leader with Jaidee and Harrington one behind. Maximum excitement.
The double bogey, far from sinking Harrington, spurred him on. As always. He hasn’t lost an ounce of that race that he always brings out when a victory is at stake. He finished with a birdie on the 17th and 18th and took the tournament. Jiménez made a bogey on the 17th, after missing a par putt of about four meters that fell short, and finished with par on the 18th. He putted on that final hole for birdie, which had tied Harrington waiting for the Irishman to take his birdie putt in turn, but fell short again.
Be that as it may, this third place is a clear sign that Jiménez has found his best form again. It’s his best result since August of last year, when he finished second in the Boeing Classic, and it’s also his third consecutive top 10. He’s found something and he’s on the right track. Miguel has 13 victories in the PGA Tour Champions and has finished in the top three 38 times, almost in a quarter of his tournaments played.
For his part, Olazábal finished in fifteenth place with three rounds under par. It’s the first time he’s done it since May 2022, almost two years ago. In addition, it’s his best result since February 2020, more than four years ago, when he finished fifth in the Morocco Open. Those who know him well say that José Mari has found something that allows him to be more consistent from the tee. This result could well be a consequence of that. It also comes at an ideal time, as the Masters is played in two weeks, the most special week of the year for the man from Fuenterrabía, where he wants to see himself competitive and fighting toe to toe to play the weekend.
