#360view: Jimenez is 'most interesting man in golf'

Joy Chakravarty 22:13 03/02/2016
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Miguel Anglel Jimenez and Bryson Dechambeau are two of golf's quirkier characters.

    For a while, it seemed like amateur Bryson DeChambeau might walk away with the honour of being ‘The Most Interesting Man in Golf’ during the Dubai Desert Classic, until the uber-cool Miguel Angel Jimenez returned to European Tour action and reclaimed what has been his title for many years now.

    The 22-year-old DeChambeau, a gentleman to the core, evokes awe because of his many quirks. The two most well known are the fact that all his irons and wedges are cut to the same shaft length, and he has a habit of finding out the balance of his golf balls by dipping them in Epsom salts the night before a round. Of course, DeChambeau also likes to call himself a ‘golf scientist’.

    And then there is ‘The Mechanic’. That nickname is because of his collection of red Ferraris, but there is nothing mechanical about Jimenez’s game and his attitude. If golf was Wild West, he would have been its John Wayne.

    Even the thick plume of smoke arising from his Habanos – only Cohiba Siglo VI please – cannot hide the utter joy on his face. He is alive, and Jimenez will make sure he celebrates that fact everyday.

    Yesterday, the 52-year-old Spaniard declared his intention to qualify for the Rio Olympics, and then walk the Athlete’s Village smoking his cigar.

    Don’t baulk, because he has an excellent chance of being in Brazil come August 11. Right now, he is the third highest ranked Spaniard at No93, just eight spots behind Rafael Cabrera-Bello. The top two players from each country, restricted to 60 men, will vie for a famous gold medal with five rings inscribed on it.

    Jimenez is different from all the other top stars, except perhaps for German Martin Kaymer, who has also made the Olympics his priority for the season.

    It is for this reason that he is not going back to play the Challenge Tour in the US, and concentrating on the European Tour so that he can keep accumulating more world ranking points.

    One of the reasons for Jimenez’s massive interest in the Olympics is definitely down to the fact that this is going to be his last genuine chance of playing in Spanish colours.

    However, age has always been a number for Jimenez. He can still create magic. After all, he holds the record for being the oldest player to win on the European Tour, and could have bettered that record as a 51-year-old last year before finishing runner-up at the Spanish Open and BMW PGA Championship in back-to-back weeks. Not only that, he also scored holes-in-one in both the tournaments.

    So, can Jimenez make it to Rio? Let’s hope so. One thing is for sure, he is not going to leave any ston unturned.

    Meanwhile, I really do think the Dubai Desert Classic has absolutely missed a trick by not pairing Jimenez and DeChambeau together for the first two rounds.

    It really would have been something for the fans – one, who is almost Ben Hogan-like in his mannerisms
    and clothing, while the other could match Walter Hagen and his flamboyance on the golf course.

    That would have been The Most Interesting Pairing in golf!

    Recommended