Miguel Angel Jimenez negotiates his way out of a bunker during the Hong Kong Open.
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Miguel Angel Jimenez eyes off a cigar and a bottle of wine on the ‘best terrace in the world’ after shooting 63 at Hong Kong Open
The four-time winner fires seven birdies to finish on a high after three indifferent days
Miguel Angel Jimenez limbers up at Fanling. Photos: Richard Castka
Miguel Angel Jimenez was quick to shift his focus to an afternoon on the “best terrace in the world” after shooting a tournament low 63 on the final day of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
After some indifferent golf left the Spaniard one under after three days, he conjured some of the magic that has seen him win here four times in the last 13 years.
“I’m going to find my cigar and I’m going to have a bottle of wine on the terrace, because this is maybe not the most beautiful terrace in the world, but it’s the best terrace in the world,” Jimenez said of his plans to celebrate his seven-under round. “I played really, really well today.”
It was a near-faultless closing round from the laconic 53-year-old, who shot seven birdies on a day he always seemed to find a way to get himself out of trouble when needed.
He didn’t drop a shot throughout, kick-starting his run with a two on the par-three second on his way to four birdies in his first six holes.
After a consistent period through the middle of his round, Jimenez shifted up a gear to finish, holing tricky birdie putts on the 16th and 17th.
“I played very solid, I made four under par on the first nine and three under on the back nine to finish seven [under],” he said.
“I love to come here, this golf course always makes me feel good. You need to play the game, it’s not only about hitting hard.”
Miguel Angel Jimenez celebrates his victory in the 2013 Hong Kong Open.
Jimenez’s long-running love affair with Hong Kong was somewhat on hold across the first three days, but the Spaniard had a spring in his step as he wound back the clock on Sunday.
“Of course I had fun, I hadn’t been hitting the ball very well and today the ball was moving better than the previous days,” he said.
Jimenez’s 63 took him to eight under for the tournament and saw him finish in a tie for seventh, three shots behind winner Wade Ormsby of Australia.
He is a fan favourite in Hong Kong for his laid-back nature and liking for the finer things in life after victories here in 2004, ’07, ’12 and ’13.
Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez is a fan favourite in Hong Kong.
Earlier this week, compatriot Rafa Cabrera Bello credited him with ensuring “the entire crowd loves Spaniards”.
China number one Li Haotong was another player to fire in the morning, carding a four-under-par 66 just two days after saying he is not a fan of the Fanling course.
It was by far his best round of the tournament and saw him finish at five under after earlier efforts of 68, 69 and 72.