Jimenez always keeps ’em smiling
He is known as The Mechanic and has also been called the most interesting golfer in the world.
Miguel Angel Jimenez is among those teeing it up in the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship on the PGA Tour Champions stop this week.
So far, he likes what he sees on the rolling Mountain course.
“There is quite a distance from greens to tees and there are a lot of slopes, but it’s very nice,” said Jimenez, who is known for carting the odd stogie in his mouth on and off the course, his intriguing and unique warm-up stretches and his love of wine.
“It’s interesting, the greens are very fast. You can see spectacular sights. You have to adjust to elevations with club selections,” added Jimenez, who is on his first visit to the area.
Jimenez, of Malaga, Spain, is third on the Charles Schwab Cup money list with $1,304,362 US in just eight events, with one win and four runner-up finishes on PGA Tour Champions in 2016.
In 2014, The Mechanic (who earned the nickname for his preference for driving fast cars rather than fixing them) was asked the secret of longevity and responded by saying: “There is no secret. Good food, good wine, good cigars and some exercise.”
REELING THEM IN: A couple of players caused a stir near the practice area late Tuesday afternoon when a helicopter landed on the golf course, bringing Mark O’Meara and Olin Browne back from a fishing expedition north of Campbell River with one of the Bear Mountain executives.
The pair now trade their rods and reels, from what was a successful fishing excursion, for their golf clubs. Both played in Thursday afternoon’s pro-am.
O’Meara plays in a group with Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam in Round 1 today at 12:44 p.m.