Jimenez holds nerve to defend Hong Kong Open
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, December 9, 2013
Ageless Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez bettered his own record as the European Tour's oldest winner yesterday after prevailing in a three-way playoff to retain the Hong Kong Open title.
Jimenez, who turns 50 next month, rolled in an 18-foot putt to birdie the first extra hole to defend the title he won last year to become the tour's oldest winner.
Tied with burly Thai Prom Meesawat and Welshman Stuart Manley at 12-under after returning a final-round 66, Jimenez drained a slick right-to-left putt down the slope to claim his 20th European Tour title.
"I love this place, I love this golf course, I love the tournament," Jimenez said after winning his fourth Hong Kong Open title. He matched the record held by Taiwan's Hsieh Yong-yo, who won the tournament in 1963, ‘64, ‘75 and ‘78.
Meesawat (65) looked set for his maiden European Tour title as he eagled the third to grab the lead and went three clear with another at the long 13th.
He bogeyed the next, however, just when Jimenez was launching a late charge.
Overnight leader Manley (68) had four bogeys and as many birdies in his first 10 holes before he joined the playoff with a brilliant chip-in for birdie at the last.
At Thousand Oaks, California, Tiger Woods's even-par 72 was enough to give the tournament host the third-round lead on a blustery Saturday at the US$3.5 million World Challenge.
A day after the 14-time major champion hit every green in regulation en route to a majestic 10-under 62 that equaled his own Sherwood Country Club course record, Woods found the going tougher on a day that started in cold rain and ended with the sun shining and a chilly, unpredictable wind whipping.
Woods notched the last of his four birdies at the par-4 18th, balancing four bogeys as he built a 54-hole total of 11-under 205 and maintained his two-stroke cushion over 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson.
Johnson briefly took a one-stroke lead after a birdie at the ninth, but two-double bogeys — at the par-3 12th and 15th — kept him from applying more pressure. He, too, birdied 18 to cap an even-par 72 for 207.
Bubba Watson was alone in third after a 69 for 209.
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