Golf-Jimenez riojas and rolls to put Molinari in shade (Reuters)
September 3, 2010
* Veteran Spaniard leads way at European Masters
* Molinari and Manassero share second place
(updates with details, quote)
CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Miguel AngelJimenez, like the vintage wine he so adores, seems to get betterwith age and the young guns of the European Tour foundthemselves trailing the 46-year-old maestro again on Friday.
His 10-under-par 61, including two eagles, broke the courserecord on the switchback fairways of Crans-sur-Sierre and set upa mouth-watering weekend head-to-head with Ryder Cup team mate,Italian Edoardo Molinari, in the European Masters.
Jimenez, who has bagged a place in next month’s Ryder Cupteam for the fourth time, could even have broken the magical 60barrier had he managed to add a couple of more birdies, to hishaul of six, in the final three holes.
If the Spaniard is in the twilight of his career, clearly noone has remembered to tell him as he continues to carve his ownjaunty trail on the European Tour with an ever-ready smile forthe crowds, greying moustache and pony-tail.
To underline that Jimenez harks from a more carefree golfingera, he lit up as usual a huge Cuban cigar following a memorableround even by his astonishingly consistent standards.
“I was definitely thinking about the 59,” he told reportersas he puffed away on that fat cigar.
“It was a beautiful day and a beautiful score. Tonight Ishall enjoy a beautiful bottle of rioja, the same sort as Ienjoyed last night.
“It was a beautiful day in the mountains.”
So much for the early nights and harsh fitness regimesfavoured by the thrusting young wannabes he faces week in weekout among the game’s elite.
TOO EXPERIENCED
Despite holding a three-stroke lead on 14-under 128 Jimenez,dubbed the Mechanic because of a love of fancy cars, is far tooexperienced to consider his 18th Tour victory is safely parkedup in the garage just yet.
Molinari is playing the game with almost indecent easefollowing his victory under the gun at Sunday’s Johnnie WalkerChampionship in Scotland which clinched his Ryder Cup wildcardselection.
The Italian had set an 11-under target in the morning with around of 65 at Crans. His total was later matched by 17-year-oldcompatriot Matteo Manassero (67), the first round leader.
The pair are a shot clear of Finn Mikko Ilonen (67) whoseonly bogey of the day came at the last.
Jimenez outdid the 62 set by Argentine Eduardo Romero 10years ago and also bettered his own 27-year career-best by ashot.
He peaked with a quite magnificent five-wood approach tojust two feet on the long 14th for eagle on surely the Tour’smost scenic course which is perched on Swiss mountains and hostsWorld Cup ski races in the winter.
It was the shot of a player still very much at the top ofhis game. A snowflake could not have fallen here more gently.
(Writing by Norman Dabell, editing by Jon Bramley. To queryor comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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