Cigar-smoking golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez said wine, exercise and enjoying the sport were the secret to his success, after the 48-year-old became the oldest winner in European Tour history on Sunday.
Jimenez held off the charging Fredrik Andersson Hed of Sweden to win the $US2 million Hong Kong Open by a single shot.
It broke European Tour records and brought up a hat-trick of titles at Fanling for the flamboyant veteran.
Asked at a news conference – where he kept a cigar in his mouth – how he kept going, he joked: “Maybe this is the olive oil in my joints, the good Rioja wine and those things.
“Keep yourself fit and flexible. The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing in life. I’ve been a 19-time winner now. I’m 48 … my goodness.
“It’s 24 years now that I’ve been around (the tour), it’ll be 25 next year.
“But I still love it. I think that’s the key. Love what you are doing and enjoy yourself.
“I keep fit and keep working myself a little bit. I stretch a lot. You need to keep your body (in shape) to compete with the young guns.”
Jimenez, whose last victory on the European Tour was in 2010, said he hoped to be back next year to defend the Hong Kong title. First up, however, is the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“If you are playing well and winning tournaments, of course this will give you more confidence for the last tournament of the year. Next week is very important,” he said.
“But what I always say is that the most important thing is what happens now. Next week you start from zero.”
He declined to say when he might retire from the sport.
“This is not the end of my career,” he said.
Swede Andersson Hed had surged into contention on Sunday with a six-under-par 64 for a four-day total of 14-under-par 266.
But Jimenez, the overnight co-leader, clung on. He carded a final-round 65 to take the trophy home by the most slender of margins.
It brought up a hat-trick of Hong Kong victories for Jimenez, who was also victorious at Fanling in 2004 and 2007.
With Andersson Hed finishing before the overnight joint leaders of Jimenez and the 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand, the cigar-chomping Spaniard knew he only had to make par at the 18th for a historic victory.
Jimenez, a vice-captain for Europe’s victorious team at the Ryder Cup at Medinah, was a picture of consistency, carding rounds of 65, 67, 68 and 65 at the par-70 Hong Kong Golf Club.
He only made two bogeys all week – both in the first round on Thursday.
Australia’s Marcus Fraser rocketed five places up the leaderboard with his final-round 64 to finish third overall, two shots behind Andersson Hed and three behind Jimenez.
Italian sensation Matteo Manassero, who at one stage in the final round got within just a single shot of the leader, was joint fourth on 11-under, together with Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and the Irishman Peter Lawrie.
