Second ace gives Cologuard Classic champion Miguel Angel Jimenez an unbeatable hand

Miguel Angel Jimenez pulled a 6-iron out of his bag on the 14th tee box at Omni Tucson National Resort on Sunday. It was the same club he had used to make a hole-in-one on No. 7 two days earlier.

Jimenez hit it pure, sending a soaring draw toward the back-left pin on the par-3 14th. The ball landed a few paces in front of the flag, bounced three times and skipped into the cup.

A second hole-in-one. A signature moment. The decisive shot in the 2022 Cologuard Classic.

Jimenez’s second ace bumped his lead from three strokes to five. He cruised to the finish, authoring a 7-under-par 65 to finish at 18 under and claim his second PGA Tour Champions victory in three starts this season.

Jimenez became the eighth winner of this event in as many years. He notched his 12th career victory on the PGA Tour Champions and expanded his lead in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup standings.

“I’ve been there several times here — been close the last couple of years I have played this tournament,” said Jimenez, who finished eighth in last year’s event and fifth in 2020. “At the end of this year I get it. My game was very good.”

Past champions Bernhard Langer and Woody Austin, playing in the second-to-last group, tied for second place at 14 under par. Both pushed Jimenez as hard as they could, shooting 65 and 66, respectively. But Jimenez’s game was on another level. Even Langer, who’s two victories shy of Hale Irwin’s record of 45 career wins on the PGA Tour Champions, had to acknowledge as much.

Winner Miguel Angel Jimenez performs his signature move, sheathing his sword (club) after sinking a putt on the sixth green Sunday.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily Star

“Almost shot my age. Just Jimenez was too good this week,” Langer, 64, said. “He had a nice lead going into today, and he’s on fire again. He’s a great player, and we were basically battling it out for second.”

After Jimenez tapped in for par on the diabolical 18th hole — which he played in textbook fashion — the 58-year-old Spaniard sheathed his putter one last time. He doffed his cap to the overflow crowd that surrounded the 18th green and kissed his wife, Susanna.

After thanking the fans and volunteers, Jimenez donned the iconic Conquistador helmet. He then bowed to the adoring crowd.

“It feels nice,” Jimenez said. “It’s my size.”

When he spoke to the media a few minutes later, Jimenez kept the helmet on over his white ball cap. He noted that he was keeping his head still so the helmet wouldn’t fall off.

Jimenez needed to remain steady after making the ace — the 13th of his professional career. Although he had what seemed like an insurmountable lead — it wasn’t a matter of whether he’d win the tournament at the point but by how much — Jimenez still had four holes to play. Three of them featured water hazards.

“You never know,” said Jimenez, who parred each of the final four holes. “You need to be focused on your shots. You have a five-shot lead, but you have to keep concentrating. As a professional, you have to do it that way.”

Jimenez entered the day with a two-shot lead over playing partners Jerry Kelly and Jeff Sluman. Jimenez left little room for drama by birdieing the par-4 first hole and eagling the par-5 second. Kelly and Sluman also birdied No. 1.

Jimenez’s advantage swelled to three after he reached the green on No. 2 in two shots and sank an eagle putt of about 18 feet. Sluman birdied the hole; Kelly, who burned the edges all day with his putter, settled for par.

Spectators watch as golfers on the eighth green Sunday during the final round.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily Star

Jimenez also reached the green in two on the 587-yard par-5 eighth. He two-putted for birdie to get to 16 under.

Jimenez’s only bobble came on the par-4 ninth hole, where he pulled his tee shot well left of the fairway. With the Player Performance Center fitness modules between his ball and the green, Jimenez was able to take a free drop. But his approach struck a tree and kicked right into the fairway. He ended up with a bogey.

Jimenez’s lead stood at three strokes when he stepped to the tee at No. 14. He and caddie Clifford Botha determined that the hole was 178 yards away – “perfect for me,” Jimenez said. He then hit what he described as a “beautiful” 6-iron.

“Did he have another ace?” Langer asked after completing his round. “That’s unheard of. No wonder he’s 18 under.”

“I played with him yesterday,” Austin said of Jimenez. “He hit it good, made a bunch, made it from everywhere. (It’s) pretty good when you make two holes-in-one in the same week. There’s four shots right there. That might be the four shots that he had me by.”

Jimenez’s margin of victory was indeed four strokes.

“Obviously he’s on top of his game,” Austin said. “He is a superstar as far as the Champions goes.”

Chip shots

Jimenez has won at least once in all eight seasons on the PGA Tour Champions. He became the first player since 2006 (Loren Roberts) to win two of the first three events of the season.

Kelly, the spokesman and ambassador for Cologuard, shot a 2-under 70 and finished in fourth place at 11 under par.

Defending champion Kevin Sutherland also shot a 70 and finished tied for 13th at 7 under.

Rocco Mediate had the low round of the day, shooting a 9-under 63 to join Sutherland and four others (including Sluman) at 7 under. Mediate’s 63 matched the 18-hole tournament scoring record.

The par-4 18th played as the most difficult hole with a scoring average of 4.492. It yielded only 14 birdies (seven Sunday) in three rounds.