Miguel marvel
COLIN MONTGOMERIE won his third senior ‘ Major’ on Sunday night.
In defending the Senior PGA Championship at French Lick he extended his impressive record in these elevated wrinkly events to three victories in the last six. His reward was a cheque for £ 320,000.
On the same day on this side of the Atlantic, another 51- year- old, Miguel Angel Jimenez, was earning £ 12,000 less for fi nishing runner- up in the BMW PGA Championship. It was comfortably the greater feat.
Jimenez’s refusal to join the grey gravy train in the USA despite becoming eligible 16 months ago is commendable. It gives him a kick to take down players half his age.
The cigar- in- mouth, ponytailflailing range workout should be set to music. So should the shapes he cuts after a hole in one, the frequency of which seems to be increasing with age. At Wentworth, the 10th of his European Tour career took him past Monty’s record. “I’ve given my life to golf, and golf has given me good things in return. Every morning when I wake up I still want to play and that’s very important to me. I love my life,” said Jimenez.
“When I started on the Tour I played with Seve, Faldo and Langer and then I played with Mickelson and Woods and Garcia, and now I play with Garcia and McIlroy. All these generations and I’m still here – who can say that? I am so proud to be part of that history.”
His performance at the BMW lifted him 25 places in the rankings to No 44, and guaranteed a spot at next month’s US Open. As the Scot will also be in the fi eld at Chambers Bay, theirs should be a striking battle .
After his win in France, Monty said: “This felt like me playing in a Major championship of 20 years ago. To average four 70s around here is as good as I could ever have done.”