Jiminez edges out Westwood in Dubai thriller

Lady Luck smiled on Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiminez on Sunday as the mercurial Spaniard defeated England’s Lee Westwood at the third extra hole of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Both men, along with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Alvaro Quiros of Spain started their final rounds locked together for the lead after the third day and each had chances to take the outright lead early before Westwood stormed in front and looked to be on course for victory as he took a two-stroke lead early in his round.

But a succession of dropped shots around the turn brought Westwood back to the pack and it was Jiminez who went to the front and held that advantage until Westwood birdied the last hole to force a play-off with the Spaniard.

Both players parred the 18th hole twice in the playoff but Westwood must feel particularly aggrieved at missing two gilt-edged chances to capture the title. On the first occasion, Jiminez laid up short of the lake in two and his approach landed inches from the water short of the green. Pitching to 12 feet, Jiminez holed for par but Westwood was on the green in three, having chipped from the rough to within ten feet. But Westwood’s birdie putt to win the title fell just a couple of turns short of the hole.

On the second occasion, Jiminez pulled his drive into thick rough and after playing back onto the fairway put his third into the bunker at the rear of the green. A sand-save and putt for par from four feet didn’t appear to be enough as Westwood again had a putt from within ten feet to win, but like before the ball failed to drop.

It took the third extra hole – the 9th – to decide the winner, when with light fading Jiminez holed from four feet for par after Westwood had missed a slightly longer putt for the same score and claim his 16th European Tour title. It was the Spaniard’s ninth title he has won in his 40s and he became the oldest player to win on the European Tour since Mark O’Meara won in Dubai in 2007.

“Like a good wine, with age, I get better and better,” said Jimenez, whose last win came in the 2008 BMW PGA Championship.

Despite missing out on the win Westwood now climbs to fifth on the Race To Dubai money list but was a narrow miss for YourGolfTravel who put Westwood up as the likely winner in the pre-tournament preview.