What’s better than a victory cigar in Hawaii?
Miguel Angel Jimenez made a clutch 12-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a playoff Saturday night, taking down Ernie Els to win the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, the season opener for the PGA Tour Champions.
Fred Couples made bogey on the first playoff hole, which dropped him out of the mix.
“I said to my caddie, `The winning score is going to be 15-under par and we need to hurry up and make birdie,’” said Jimenez, who went on to make clutch birdies on holes 13-15 to get into contention.
The 56-year-old now has won in each of his seven seasons on the senior tour, with nine victories total, including a previous win at Hualalai in 2015.
Leaderboard: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai
“Played well every year here and it’s nice to have a second win,” Jimenez said.
“Disappointing, obviously,” Els said of his debut on the senior circuit. “I would have loved to got it through, but I had a couple of chances, didn’t quite get the right speed or the right line, but all good. Congrats to Miguel.”
The PGA Tour Champions tee off again Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Morocco Champions at Samanah Golf Club in Marrakech, Morocco.
