As with fine wine, the one he said he would enjoy at his dinner last night to prepare for the final round, Miguel Ángel Jiménez (-10) gets better with age. At 61 and on his way to 62, this Sunday he confirmed that he is experiencing the best season of his career on the PGA Tour Champions. In a thrilling playoff resolved on the second hole, the Spaniard won the Kaulig Companies Championship, setting his personal record for victories on the tour in a single season.
In February, he won the Trofeo Hassan II; in March, he lifted the Hoag Classic trophy; and at the beginning of this June, he conquered the Principal Charity Classic. With today’s victory, overcoming a two-shot deficit in a memorable finish and sinking a putt of over five metres to win, Miguel has claimed four titles in a single season, surpassing the three he achieved in 2022, which was his most fruitful year until now, reaching a total of 17 on the US senior tour.
Cue the victory cigar 🔥
Jiménez drained his birdie putt on the 2nd playoff hole to win @KauligChamp pic.twitter.com/veSZN9sZM7
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) June 22, 2025
The truth is that, although he started the day as co-leader, things didn’t look good for the Spaniard. He began at a high level, with two birdies in his first two holes, but by the midpoint of his round, he was already one down to Steven Alker (-10), who seemed to be heading for the title. The New Zealander made a bogey on the 10th, which levelled the scores again, but two mistakes by Miguel, with bogeys on the 12th and 13th, seemed to hand the victory to his rival and playing partner.
Jiménez teed off on the 17th two shots behind on the leaderboard. But when facing the Spaniard, especially in this magical 2025, you shouldn’t claim victory too soon. A great birdie on what was initially going to be his penultimate hole of the day added excitement to the tournament’s conclusion. And to continue the celebration, Miguel sank a great birdie putt of over five metres on the 18th to force the playoff and leave Alker stunned when he already saw himself as the winner.
CLUTCH AGAIN!
Miguel Angel Jiménez birdies to force a playoff @KauligChamp 👏 pic.twitter.com/kifB80BAAx
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) June 22, 2025
On the first playoff hole, the New Zealander survived a critical situation. Miguel sent his ball to the first cut of rough from the tee, but on the right side, the good side. Alker found the fairway, but on the left, where a lush tree came into play. His approach shot bounced off a branch and returned to the fairway, while the Spaniard took his ball to the green, leaving himself a putt of about six metres. Steven recovered well and saved par, while the Spaniard missed his first ‘match ball’.
But back on the 18th tee, the verdict came. Jiménez played a drive to the centre of the fairway, and his rival sent his ball far to the right, crossing a path and stopping in the high rough. His recovery was astonishing, with a low shot between the trees, letting the ball roll onto the green, stopping about eight metres from the cup. But Miguel practically repeated his previous two irons to that same flag, leaving himself a birdie putt of about five and a half metres.
Alker missed, and the Spaniard, with spectacular composure, signed a birdie that sealed his fourth title of 2025, the 17th of his career on the Champions Tour, and opened an even bigger gap in the Charles Schwab Cup, which he dominates with an iron hand this season. The New Zealander has won it twice, Miguel, for now, not yet. But playing like this and with his margin of nearly $750,000 in earnings, it’s closer than ever. Now it’s time to enjoy a good dinner, a fine wine, and another cigar to celebrate the victory before starting to think about the US Senior Open in Colorado Springs next week, where he arrives as the big favourite. And rightly so.
