Miguel Ángel Jiménez: a slice of the golf life

Jiménez, who hails from Málaga, has enjoyed a spectacular golfing career.

“I give all my life to golf, and golf gives me all my life” – so says Miguel Ángel Jiménez, one of golf’s most intriguing and respected figures. Always good value for a quote and a photo opportunity, Jiménez stands apart in a sport not short on larger-than-life characters.

Nicknamed ‘The Mechanic’ for his love of high-end sports cars (he owns a Ferrari), Jiménez hails from Málaga and has enjoyed a spectacular golfing career, winning the European Tour 19 times and becoming the oldest ever winner on the European Tour when he triumphed in the UBS Hong Kong Open.

His longevity is testament to the man’s lighthearted take on life, although he himself puts it down to the “olive oil and Rioja” in his veins. However he does it, Jiménez has stuck around at the top of this ultra-competitive profession for years, and he shows no sign of slowing down any time soon…

Miguel Ángel Jiménez was born into a family of seven brothers in 1964. Growing up in a modest home in Churriana, on the outskirts of Málaga, his house was a whirr of constant activity and competition between the boys. When his oldest brother Juan began caddying at a local golf course for extra pesetas, Jiménez took an interest – in the cash rather than the golf.

And as his pockets jingled, his talent began to flourish. Older hands on the course were impressed by his technique, and his love for golf grew from there. In 1979, the Spanish Open came to Torrequebrada, and Jiménez headed north for a close-up glimpse of his hero, Seve Ballesteros.

Turning pro in 1982, success eluded Jiménez for a long while. He wasn’t your typical prodigy nor super-driven sportsman. Rather, he loved golf and couldn’t imagine doing anything else, so through sheer bloody-mindedness as much as anything, he eventually reached the qualifying standard for the European Tour in 1988. In 1992, he won his first tournament, and in 2004 – when he won four titles – he became a bona fide European star.

Cigars, brandy, whisky and wine – Jiménez is happy to enjoy them all before, during, and most certainly after a round of golf. His Andalusian sensibilities would not allow him to be any other way – he has to enjoy life, he has to do things his way, and he has to play with a smile on his face.

Such a sunny disposition and individualistic tendency help Jiménez charm all those who meet him. The fans, fellow professionals and the media all love Jiménez. And it’s not all one-way traffic. His love for the game and the pride he has in his Andalusian roots mean a lot to Jiménez. So much so that he consistently puts his hand in his own pocket to fund and organise the Open de Andalucía.

“I love my country, I love my place and I feel golf is part of the economy of Andalucía and Málaga,” Jimenez told Cigar Aficionado Magazine in 2011. “I feel that the people of Andalucía deserve a special tournament. These are difficult times to get money from the companies. For the last couple of years there hasn’t been that much money from sponsors, so to cover expenses I’ve had to go into my own pocket.

“I am very loyal to what I am doing. I’m doing something for my place.”

His ‘place’ remains Málaga, where he still lives. Jiménez may not be the biggest name on the golfing circuit, nor the swankiest celeb on the Costa del Sol, but he might just about be the most interesting character of them all…