PARIS | Miguel Angel Jiménez became the
oldest-ever winner of continental Europe’s old-
est golf title in Paris – but
only after a dramatic three-
man playoff Sunday that he
caused by double-bogeying
the 72nd hole. The 46-year-
old Spaniard was two shots
ahead of compatriot Alejan-
dro Cañizares and Italian
Francesco Molinari in the
Alstom Open de France at Le Golf National
before knocking his approach into the water on
the final hole of regulation play.
“The 72nd hole, last hole of the tournament,
I hit a beautiful drive there,” he said. “My 8-iron,
141 metres to the front and 146 metres to the
hole – I feel a little pressure there, and the only
thing I need to do is hit a good shot. But we are
human.”
Jiménez had his second chance when
Cañizares went twice into the same lake at the
first extra hole and Molinari, bunkered off the
tee, was forced to lay up on the par 4. Jiménez
still had work to do when he missed the green,
but a 15-footer gave him the crown after Moli-
nari had holed from 18 feet for bogey.
The first prize of €500,000 lifts the ponytailed Malaga golfer from 17th to fifth in the
Ryder Cup race.
“It will be nice to be on the Ryder Cup,” he
added. “At 46, probably this is my last chance
to be on the team playing. But I would be very
proud to be on Monty’s team.”
Ten of Jiménez’s 17 European Tour victo-
ries have come since he turned 40 – that is a
Miguel Angel Jiménez
record – and he now becomes the eighth-oldest
champion in European Tour history.
The compensation for Cañizares was that
he qualifies for the Open Championship at St.
Andrews as the leading non-exempt player in
the event. RESULTS
NOTES: Lee Westwood has withdrawn from
this month’s Irish Open at Killarney. He con-
firmed that he will take a fortnight’s break from
the game after British Open.
Martin Kaymer drove to Versailles in his
BMW M3 still bitter he was shown the yellow
card by Tour officials for wearing a German
World Cup football top on the last hole during
last week’s BMW International final round. “I
just thought it was unfair and a bit over the top I
should have been spoken to,” said Kaymer.
But while Kaymer was singled out, Tour officials overlooked Paul Casey wearing England
colours during the pro-am and Sergio Garcia
wearing Spain’s football strip during Friday’s
round.
