Player Blog: Miguel Ángel Jiménez

Ahead of a return to Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club for the Omega European Masters, Miguel Ángel Jiménez writes this week's Player Blog.

I’ve played this tournament 29 times.The first time was in 1989, but my first time in Switzerland was in 1986 for a different event. The course has evolved in that time, with Seve having made some changes in the 1990s.

I would say the main change has been the greens. Before the changes, the ball tended to run towards the green and now the greens are designed so the ball runs outside of the green. The conditions, especially the greens, are in an amazing state; they just seem to get better and better. Without question the changes Seve made to the putting surfaces is the biggest difference from the first time I came in 1989 until today.

The first time I came I found the mountains so impressive. The views here are fantastic, but there is also so much comfort with the course in the middle of the town. You can walk everywhere, so it’s just a nice place to be. My favourite hole is probably the par four seventh. It’s drivable for sure, but that green can still make you feel nervous! There is a lot of movement on it, but every time you arrive on the tee and see those mountains and the valley you just feel very impressed.

It was fantastic to win here in 2010.I actually did feel like I would win here eventually. There were a lot of times when I was very close to getting the win, but it finally came eight years ago. In fact, that was my overriding emotion – finally!

I remember thinking that very clearly, because there had been some close calls. I was runner-up when Luke Donald won in 2004 and then was close the following year when Sergio Garcia won. So when I got the trophy, my first thought was definitely ‘finally!’

Crans Montana is such an incredible place, so I only use the Players’ Lounge every now and then. I prefer to go out and go for walks. It’s great because I have a lot of friends here. For example, I’ll be going out to a restaurant near the course that is one of the best in the area. I know the owner, David, who loves golf, so I’m going there with some friends to enjoy ourselves before the tournament begins. A lot of the friendships I’ve made have been as a result of coming back here year after year.

I stayed in the same hotel here for 27 years!Eventually they decided to covert the hotel into apartments, but for 27 years I stayed in the exact same room in the same hotel whenever I came here.

It’s safe to say I’m a lot older than some of the other guys out here. Sometimes when I’m on the first tee with the guys in my group, their ages combined don’t add up to mine! It doesn’t make me feel any older; I take it in good heart and use it to my advantage, making the most of all my experience.

I’m arriving here on the back of winning the Senior Open at St Andrews.To win a Major there is fantastic; it’s where everybody wants to win. It was an immense feeling. You have to actually be in that person’s skin to know how it feels. It really is the most impressive place and without doubt the place you’d choose to win.

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