Miguel Angel Jimenez put his longevity into espresso, red wine and his distinctive cigars as he set off on a record for the 707th European tour.
The Spanish popular was enjoying the prospect of going beyond Sam Torrance’s landmark at the Hero Open when he left Thursday in the Arden forest in Birmingham on Thursday, 32 years after his tour debut.
Still strong at the age of 56, Jimenez offered some of the secrets that made him strong in his lovable and usual style.
“[It’s about] continuing to keep me, some olive oil, espresso, a nice red wine, even some cigars! “he told the official European Tour website.
“I am doing what I like to do with my life, when you do what you like to do you never get tired. The last 15-20 years I work on my elasticity and this helps me, but I do what I like to do”.
He added: “Well, it’s a really good feeling, it’s something you never think about when you start the tour.
“It’s great to be here and set the record this week.”
Jimenez is a 21-time winner of the European Tour but is not sure how many other tournaments he will play to extend the highscore and he has reflected on being around for several generations.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, he said: “32 years have passed around the world playing on different tours.
“Getting to this point and looking back is incredible. So many players in these 32 years. Playing with Seve [Ballesteros] – our mentor – Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger [Woods], Phil Mickelson. All the different generations. Now with new ones coming.
“In these 32 years it has been fantastic, not only for the 707 tournaments that I will reach this week. You never think about how many tournaments you will play in your life.
golf course – that this would be the next target, and here we are." data-reactid="34">“I have known for the past two years – the way I am playing and feeling on the golf course – that this would be the next goal, and here we are.
“I don’t know if I want to extend the record. I will play next week and play Valderrama when I come back in a few weeks.
“After next week I will go to America to play a couple of events and then back to Valderrama, but I don’t have the goal of adding more tournaments. The goal was to get the record and whatever tournament they are coming to the top of will be beautiful. “
There have been many successes over the course of three decades and Jimenez has some to which he is particularly fond of.
He said: “Looking back, having some reflections, I had some good experiences. I had my first victory in 1992 at the Piaget Open in Belgium.
“Being Seve’s assistant captain in 1997 in Valderrama before I played my first Ryder Cup in 1999.
“Looking back, many fantastic things: winning four times in Hong Kong, winning at Wentworth in 2008, the flagship tournament of the European Tour. The first Spaniard to win what was then the Volvo Masters in Montecastillo. A wonderful life . “
