He might not have won a fifth Hong Kong Open title, but Miguel Ángel Jiménez still showed why he is one the world’s top fiftysomething players. At 53 years of age, he carded the lowest round of the tournament, a seven-under 63, to soar up the final-day leaderboard and eventually finish join seventh – only three shots behind the winner, Wade Ormsby.
Jiménez is the only player to have won the Hong Kong Open more than once: 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2014. On the most recent occasion he extended his own record as the European Tour’s oldest champion, before adding a 21st title later that year in the Spanish Open.
Ormsby prevailed after a dramatic final day in Fanling to claim his first European Tour title. The Australian played his first season on the Tour in 2004 after coming through the Qualifying School, and he has done that four times since in a career that has also seen him struggle with injury at times.
A fifth-placed finish at the Andalucía Valderrama Masters hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation in October ensured he eventually kept his card in comfortable fashion. and the 37-year-old will now have an exemption until 2020 after winning at the 264th time of asking.
"It means a lot to me," said a tearful Ormsby. "I've played a lot of golf in Europe, everywhere, and a few bumps along the way but it's pretty cool to get a win this late in your career. A few of my mates are over there so that makes it pretty special; having mates around makes it all the more special. I probably won't sleep too much on that flight on the way to Oz tonight."
For Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who carded a 64 in the third round, it was a second season of heartbreak in Hong Kong. In 2016 another Australian, Sam Brazel, birdied the 18th to consign him to a runners-up finish. This year Ormsby held a two-shot lead as he stood on the 18th fairway at Hong Kong Golf Club while, in the group behind, Cabrera-Bello birdied the 17th to pile on the pressure. A closing three-putt bogey from Ormsby left the duo in a tie at 11-under but the Spaniard put his second shot into the bunker at the front of the final green and failed to get up and down.
