Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/1617845/miguel-angel-jimenez-hit-stomach-bug-shoots-72-hong-kong-open
Sport/ Hong Kong

Miguel Angel Jimenez hit by stomach bug, shoots 72 in Hong Kong Open

Defending champion visits the 'woods' during his painful round, but says his opening score still puts him in a position to challenge for the title

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez tries to read the green during the first round of the Hong Kong Open at Fanling on Thursday. The four-time defending champion was suffering from an upset stomach and opened with a two-over 72. Photo: Richard Castka

Miguel Angel Jimenez's bid for an unprecedented third straight Hong Kong Open title began on a painful and embarrassing note, as the colourful Spaniard struggled with a bad tummy that even forced him to pay a visit "into the woods at one point".

Laid low by a bout of food poisoning, which had kept him up the night before the opening round, Jimenez barely managed to get around his favourite Fanling course as he finished with a two-over par 72. It was his worst round in two years.

"It has not been good at all. I have been very sick and been vomiting all night," said Jimenez.

"I'm feeling very sore. I even had to go into the woods at one stage. I felt my body cramping. I came here to play and I'm sorry for that was unprofessional," said Jimenez after carding three bogeys and a birdie in his first round.

It has not been good at all. I have been very sick and been vomiting all night Miguel Angel Jimenez

The winner of the past two editions and four-time Hong Kong Open champion is not only bidding to become the first man to win three in a row, but also to match Tiger Woods, Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson who are the only golfers to win the same tournament five times on the European Tour.

But what was supposed to be a nice seafood dinner with his new wife, Susanna, and some friends on the eve of the 56th Hong Kong Open seems to have upset his plans to make history as he struggled in his round playing with Nicolas Colsaerts and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Belgium's former Ryder Cup star Colsaerts carded a four-under 66, while Kiradech matched Jimenez with a 72.

Malaysian Danny Chia finished on 67, trailing the leader by three shots. Photo: Richard Castka
Malaysian Danny Chia finished on 67, trailing the leader by three shots. Photo: Richard Castka

"It is something I ate, my bowel didn't react well. It is a pity coming here, as I'm trying to do my best," Jimenez said after his draining round.

"It was hard to get around in the heat."

The 50-year-old Jimenez, the oldest player to win on the European Tour, felt he was still in good touch and warned the rest of the field not to write him off.

"I made only one birdie but I was still hitting it good. I saved a couple of pars and missed a couple of birdies too. I'm motivated and there are three more days," added the Spaniard.

Brett Rumford watches his shot head up the fairway in the first round of the Hong Kong Open. The Australian carded a 72. Photo: Richard Castka
Brett Rumford watches his shot head up the fairway in the first round of the Hong Kong Open. The Australian carded a 72. Photo: Richard Castka

"I hope I can recover this afternoon and come back stronger tomorrow. I will go and eat some white rice."

Colsaerts, meanwhile, was not distracted as he continued his fine form from last week in Portugal when he came close to recording a 59.

"You need to play good here to get any score under par for you can easily get into trouble if you don't hit the fairway because the greens are rolling fast. But yeah, I'm happy with my score," Colsaerts said.