Miguel Ángel Jiménez will tee it up for his maiden regular Staysure Tour event at the Costa Blanca Benidorm Senior Masters when he takes to the Levante course at Meliá Villaitana from November 29 – December 1.
The Spanish legend, who won two of the five Senior Major Championships this year, returns to home soil to play his first regular Staysure Tour event. The Regions Tradition and The Senior Open Presented by Rolex champion joins fellow Spaniard and two-time Masters Tournament winner José María Olazábal in the field, as the Staysure Tour returns to Spain for the first time since 2012.
The duo will tee it up with the victorious 2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley for the first round, and Jiménez is determined to enjoy his time in his home country.
“I feel good,” he said. “I played last week in Hong Kong on the European Tour and was unfortunate to miss the cut. I’ve been hitting the ball well and I made a few birdies in the Pro-Am today, so I feel comfortable.
“It’ll be nice to play with them. All three of us connect very well together, so tomorrow will be a very nice match.
“It’s good to have a tournament in Spain. The conditions here this week are very nice. Meliá Villaitana is a great place to come and play golf and it’s great to have this event here. This week is the tournament’s first time on the schedule and we hope there are many more editions to come.”
It has been six years since the over-50s circuit held an event in Spain, after Gary Wolstenholme clinched the Benahavis Senior Masters in June, having sealed his first title of the season at the Mallorca Open Senior three weeks earlier.
The 21-time European Tour winner is one of 11 Spaniards who will be aiming to impress the home crowd. With the Costa Blanca Benidorm Senior Masters the final European event of the year ahead of season-ending MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius and Seychelles, Jiménez cannot wait to enjoy the sun-kissed Spanish course.
“There is Olazábal, Miguel Angel Martin, Luna, Quiros and myself, plus many others. It’s nice to have so many Spanish players playing here,” he said.
“To have this tournament is important for the Staysure Tour, as it’s one more event on the calendar. It’s good for the area because we are here at the end of November and we’ve got lovely weather – it is a golfer’s paradise in Europe. From here up the coast to Valencia, there are many golf courses and the area is perfect for golf.
“The course is in a very good condition. It’s late in the year but the greens are superb, a little soft but very nice.
“The course isn’t very long. The par fives are reachable if you hit driver off the tee. It’s nice to make birdies instead of fighting for pars and bogeys. It’s good to play on a golf course where you can make birdies and enjoy yourself.”
