December 8, 2013 – The Ping staff player Miguel Angel Jiménez broke his own record as The European Tour’s oldest champion by winning the Hong Kong Open for a fourth time in stunning style.

Aged 49 years and 337 days, Jiménez used his experience and his golf bag full of Ping equipment (the G25 driver and fairway woods, the new S55 irons, two Tour Gorge wedges and the Scottsdale Pickemup putter) to devastating effect in a play-off with Thailand’s Prom Meesawat and Welshman Stuart Manley, holing a slick 18-foot putt for birdie at the first extra hole to add to the titles he won here at Hong Kong Golf Club in 2005, 2008 and last year.

Earlier in the day he birdied the 17^th and made a fine up-and-down at the last for a four under par 66, which left him tied on 12 under with Prom Meesawat, who went one better with a 65.

Late drama then ensued when Qualifying School graduate Manley holed his chip for a three on the 18^th to join the play-off, but his joy was cut short when Jiménez calmly rolled in a birdie putt to claim his 20^th European Tour title.

“This is very sweet,” said the Miguel Angel Jiménez. “I love this place and I love this golf course. Holing that putt to win the play-off makes it even sweeter.”

“Winning a tournament is always tough. I three-putted the 15^th and then I missed a good birdie chance on the 16^th, so I knew I had to make at least one birdie on the last two holes. I never stopped telling myself, just take it hole by hole, stay calm, live the moment.”

“It’s been a hard season because I missed the first few months when I broke my leg. I worked very hard to come back from that. I work very hard in the gym every day with stretching and cardio. And the main thing is my head. The head is still very competitive.”

What’s in Miguel Angel’s golf bag?

• Driver: Ping G25 8.5º (Aldila Tour Blue, 46”, D5+ shaft)
• Fairway Woods: Ping G25 15º (Aldila Tour Blue, 44”, 65-X, D4), 18º (UST Attas 70-X, 43”, tipped 1.5”, D3+), 21º (UST Attas 70-X shaft)
• Irons: Ping S55 (4-PW, True Temper Dynamic Gold Superlite S3 w/Sensicore, std. lenght, Red Color Code, D1 shafts)
• Wedges: Ping Tour Gorge (52º, 60º, True Temper Dynamic Gold Superlite X100, std. lenght, Red Color Code, D4, D5 shafts)
• Grips: Lamkin PermaWrap 58 Round
• Putter: Ping Scottsdale Pickemup (34″, Blue Color Code, 3º loft, PP58 grip)
• Ball: Srixon Z-Star
• Shoes: Nebuloni
• Apparel: Lacoste

Pictures: Courtesy of Getty Images.

Por REDACCIÓN