Miguel Angel Jiménez won his second European Tour title in his native Spain this season when he fired a closing 65 to capture the Volvo Masters title at Montecastillo Hotel and Golf Resort with a magnificent 19 under par total of 269. He finished two strokes clear of Bernhard Langer, Padraig Harrington and Retief Goosen.
The 35 year old capped a great year in which he successfully defended the Turespaña Masters – Open Andalucia title close to his home in Malaga in March and made a huge contribution to Europe’s Ryder Cup effort on his debut at The Country Club in September.
However the season is not over yet for the popular Spaniard, who now chases a third title on home soil when he competes in the American Express Championship this week against six of the world’s top ranked players at Valderrama.
He said: "This has been the best year of my career and I hope it will continue at Valderrama. I feel a great sense of satisfaction having become the first Spaniard to win in the 12 years of the Volvo Masters. I am very proud and very happy."
Colin Montgomerie leads the Volvo Order of Merit with 1,777,830 euro (£1,269,879) to stand 575,318 euro (£410,942) ahead of Sergio Garcia, who can still catch the six-time No.1, as can Lee Westwood and Goosen, in third and fourth places respectively.
It was a superb effort at Montecastillo by Jiménez, whose seven under par final round earned him a two stroke victory over Langer, Harrington and Goosen, who had led for three rounds thanks to an opening 62.
With a cheque for 232,400 euro (£166,000), he moved up from ninth to seventh in the Volvo Order of Merit with earnings of 807,012 (£576,437).
Goosen was overtaken in the home stretch by a determined Jiménez, who went to the turn in 33 and birdied the 12th and three holes in a row from the 14th for an inward 32.
With four rounds in the sixties, the Spanish golfer trimmed two strokes off the low record score set last year by Darren Clarke, who on this occasion finished strongly with a 66 for a share of fifth place with Garcia.
Garcia shot a closing 69 for a total of 273, 15 under par, and he moved back into second place in the Volvo Order of Merit behind Montgomerie, who shared 16th position.
Goosen, who opened with rounds of 62, 68 and 70, birdied the final hole for a round of 71 which moved him into a tie with Langer, who fired a 66, and Harrington, who also made a birdie at the last.
Langer, with five birdies, an eagle and a bogey, was never at any time in the lead of sharing the lead, unlike Harrington and Goosen who fought out a battle royal with Jiménez for the prestigious Volvo-sponsored tournament.
However it was a rewarding week for Langer, who read the short address in memory of the late Payne Stewart at the end of the second round. A share of second place moved into into 15th place and rubber-stamped his place in the top 20 for the American Express Championship.
Harrington had eagled the ninth to turn in 32, at which time he was tied with Goosen, who promptly regained the initiative with a birdie at the same hole soon afterwards.
Harrington had to wait until the 18th for his 23rd and final birdie of an outstanding week, but by that time the impetus was with the man from Malaga. With six birdies in the last 11 holes, Jiménez was set to record the sixth title of his career and his third in Spain.
There were numerous notable performances at Montecastillo, apart from those at the top of the leaderboard. Peter O’Malley of Australia recorded the low score of the last day, a 64 which moved him into a tie for tenth with a trio of Ryder Cup rookies in Paul Lawrie, Jarmo Sandelin and Jean Van de Velde.
