Spanish golfer Miguel Angel Jimenez has made it 3rd time lucky as he won the Dubai Desert Classic after beating European Tour No. 1 Lee Westwood in a three-hole playoff on Sunday.
The 46-year-old who has twice been a runner-up in the tournament, saw his English rival miss winning putts at the first 2 holes, both played at 18, and had to drain a 15-footer himself at the second to stay in contention.
Jimenez had a much easier attempt from 4 feet to win at the par 4 9th hole after the 36-year-old Westwood hit the greenside rough with his second shot and then missed a six-foot putt for par.
Jimenez said after winning the tournament “I feel so proud to win this trophy. I like the golf course, I like the ambience and I like the people and I am very happy, I made a very good putt on the second hole of the playoff on the 18th that kept me going, then I had a putt to win. My last win was in 2008 in the PGA, and it proves that old guys like me can win.” world No. 60 Jimenez walked away with the first prize of $400,000 and his 16th victory on the European Tour.
Jimenez and world No. 4 Westwood had started the final round in a 4 way tie for the lead along with Asian No. 1 Thongchai Jaidee and young Spaniard Alvaro Quiros.
Jimenez missed a birdie putt at 18 to finish with par 72 for the clubhouse lead of 11-under-par 277, then Westwood joined him. Westwood had led by 2 shots early on, but a double-bogey at the par-four 5th hole saw him caught again.