Miguel Angel Jimenez held his nerve to win the French Open yesterday after a three-way play-off with Spanish compatriot Alejandro Canizares and Francesco Molinari.
After completing their fourth and final rounds at Le Golf National with an 11-under-par total of 277, the trio headed back to the tricky par-four 18th for the play-off.
Jimenez struck his tee shot down the middle while Molinari, the Italian, found a bunker and Canizares sent his left into the water. After taking a drop, Canizares hit the water a second time, which effectively ended his challenge.
Molinari putted for a one-over-par bogey, leaving the 46-year-old Jimenez to sink his par putt from five metres.
It was the Spainard's 17th European Tour win and 10th since he reached the age of 40.
It was, though, a massive reprieve for Jimenez, as he had earlier blown a two-shot lead going into the last hole.
He had been in stunning form after the turn, sinking five birdies to head for the 18th tee at 13-under with a two-stroke lead over Canizares and Molinari.
A double-bogey, however, set up the play-off.
Canizares, who had repaired the damage of two double-bogeys at the end of his third round on Saturday with two birdies in the first three holes, then had a chance to snatch it, but his birdie putt died just short of the hole.
Molinari gave himself a chance of winning with a round of 67, which included five birdies and an eagle at the par-four 10th.
Overnight leader Martin Kaymer, the defending champion, was also in the mix until a double-bogey at the 15th. He followed that with another double bogey at the tricky 18th to finish seven-under.
Meanwhile, Lee Westwood flew home from Paris last night to have immediate treatment and probably a scan on the right leg injury that bothered him all week at the French Open. The world No 3 was hobbling again for most of a closing 70, which left him down the field on four under par.
Westwood was in hospital on Wednesday after fears his problem could be a deep vein thrombosis, but although that did not prove to be the case his condition remains a real concern.
"It got worse as the week went on," he told Press Association Sport. "I had a three-iron at the third from a ball-below-feet lie and I think I just tweaked it. After that I could hardly put any weight on it. Two people think I should have an MRI scan and the sooner that's done the better."
* Agencies
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.