Miguel Angel Jimenez, a Ryder Cup rookie later this month, aims to tune up for The Country Club by successfully defending his title in the Trophée Lancôme at Saint-Nom-La-Breteche.
The 35 year old Spaniard delivered the perfect coup-de-gras last year when he chipped in for a birdie two at the 72nd hole to overcome the cosmopolitan challenge of Americans Mark O’Meara and David Duval, Sweden’s Jarmo Sandelin and Kiwi Greg Turner to lift the title.
It was an exquisitely executed stroke – one which earned Jiménez the Canon Shot of the Year award. O’Meara and Duval had taken bogey and double bogey respectively in the penultimate group, leaving Jiménez requiring a par to win.
He missed the green at the 209 yard 18th hole, but conjured up that shot of sheer majesty to lift the title which propelled him towards a place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team in Boston.
At the time he said: “It was nice to be at Valderrama as Seve’s (Ballesteros) vice-captain, but it would be even nicer to be on the team next time.”
Well, Jiménez is indeed on the team and he will be back in France this week along with his team-mates, Paul Lawrie, Colin Montgomerie, José Maria Olazábal, Andrew Coltart and Jarmo Sandelin.
Olazábal, the winner in 1990, and Coltart, both return from a short break to play in the Trophée Lancôme while Montgomerie, Sandelin and Open champion Lawrie were engaged in action at last week’s Victor Chandler British Masters.
