Miguel Angel Jimenez pulled a 6-iron out of his bag on the 14th tee box at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort on Sunday. It was the same club he had used to make a hole-in-one on No. 7 two days earlier.
Jimenez hit it pure, sending a soaring draw toward the back-left pin on the par-3 14th. The ball landed a few paces in front of the flag, bounced three times and skipped into the cup.
A second hole-in-one. A signature moment. The decisive shot in the 2022 Cologuard Classic.
Jimenez鈥檚 second ace bumped his lead from three strokes to five. He cruised to the finish, authoring a 7-under-par 65 to finish at 18 under and claim his second PGA Tour Champions victory in three starts this season.
Jimenez became the eighth winner of this event in as many years. He notched his 12th career victory on the PGA Tour Champions and expanded his lead in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup standings.
People are also reading…
鈥淚鈥檝e been there several times here 鈥 been close the last couple of years I have played this tournament,鈥 said Jimenez, who finished eighth in last year鈥檚 event and fifth in 2020. 鈥淎t the end of this year I get it. My game was very good.鈥
Past champions Bernhard Langer and Woody Austin, playing in the second-to-last group, tied for second place at 14 under par. Both pushed Jimenez as hard as they could, shooting 65 and 66, respectively. But Jimenez鈥檚 game was on another level. Even Langer, who鈥檚 two victories shy of Hale Irwin鈥檚 record of 45 career wins on the PGA Tour Champions, had to acknowledge as much.

Winner Miguel Angel Jimenez performs his signature move, sheathing his sword (club) after sinking a putt on the sixth green Sunday.
鈥淎lmost shot my age. Just Jimenez was too good this week,鈥 Langer, 64, said. 鈥淗e had a nice lead going into today, and he鈥檚 on fire again. He鈥檚 a great player, and we were basically battling it out for second.鈥
After Jimenez tapped in for par on the diabolical 18th hole 鈥 which he played in textbook fashion 鈥 the 58-year-old Spaniard sheathed his putter one last time. He doffed his cap to the overflow crowd that surrounded the 18th green and kissed his wife, Susanna.
After thanking the fans and volunteers, Jimenez donned the iconic Conquistador helmet. He then bowed to the adoring crowd.
鈥淚t feels nice,鈥 Jimenez said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my size.鈥
When he spoke to the media a few minutes later, Jimenez kept the helmet on over his white ball cap. He noted that he was keeping his head still so the helmet wouldn鈥檛 fall off.
Jimenez needed to remain steady after making the ace 鈥 the 13th of his professional career. Although he had what seemed like an insurmountable lead 鈥 it wasn鈥檛 a matter of whether he鈥檇 win the tournament at the point but by how much 鈥 Jimenez still had four holes to play. Three of them featured water hazards.
鈥淵ou never know,鈥 said Jimenez, who parred each of the final four holes. 鈥淵ou need to be focused on your shots. You have a five-shot lead, but you have to keep concentrating. As a professional, you have to do it that way.鈥
Jimenez entered the day with a two-shot lead over playing partners Jerry Kelly and Jeff Sluman. Jimenez left little room for drama by birdieing the par-4 first hole and eagling the par-5 second. Kelly and Sluman also birdied No. 1.
Jimenez鈥檚 advantage swelled to three after he reached the green on No. 2 in two shots and sank an eagle putt of about 18 feet. Sluman birdied the hole; Kelly, who burned the edges all day with his putter, settled for par.

Spectators watch as golfers on the eighth green Sunday during the final round.
Jimenez also reached the green in two on the 587-yard par-5 eighth. He two-putted for birdie to get to 16 under.
Jimenez鈥檚 only bobble came on the par-4 ninth hole, where he pulled his tee shot well left of the fairway. With the Player Performance Center fitness modules between his ball and the green, Jimenez was able to take a free drop. But his approach struck a tree and kicked right into the fairway. He ended up with a bogey.
Jimenez鈥檚 lead stood at three strokes when he stepped to the tee at No. 14. He and caddie Clifford Botha determined that the hole was 178 yards away 鈥 鈥減erfect for me,鈥 Jimenez said. He then hit what he described as a 鈥渂eautiful鈥 6-iron.
鈥淒id he have another ace?鈥 Langer asked after completing his round. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 unheard of. No wonder he鈥檚 18 under.鈥
鈥淚 played with him yesterday,鈥 Austin said of Jimenez. 鈥淗e hit it good, made a bunch, made it from everywhere. (It鈥檚) pretty good when you make two holes-in-one in the same week. There鈥檚 four shots right there. That might be the four shots that he had me by.鈥
Jimenez鈥檚 margin of victory was indeed four strokes.
鈥淥bviously he鈥檚 on top of his game,鈥 Austin said. 鈥淗e is a superstar as far as the Champions goes.鈥
Chip shots
Jimenez has won at least once in all eight seasons on the PGA Tour Champions. He became the first player since 2006 (Loren Roberts) to win two of the first three events of the season.
Kelly, the spokesman and ambassador for Cologuard, shot a 2-under 70 and finished in fourth place at 11 under par.
Defending champion Kevin Sutherland also shot a 70 and finished tied for 13th at 7 under.
Rocco Mediate had the low round of the day, shooting a 9-under 63 to join Sutherland and four others (including Sluman) at 7 under. Mediate鈥檚 63 matched the 18-hole tournament scoring record.
The par-4 18th played as the most difficult hole with a scoring average of 4.492. It yielded only 14 birdies (seven Sunday) in three rounds.
Photos: Miguel Angel Jimenez wins the 2022 Cologuard Classic at Omni 蜜柚直播 National
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament 2022

Miguel Angel Jimenez dons the Conquistador helmet after winning the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort on Feb. 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Gene Sauers hits the ball out of the sand along the 2nd green during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Bernhard Langer hits the ball back onto the green towards the 3rd hole during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Miguel Angel Jimenez smokes his cigar at the 4th tee box during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Jerry Kelly reacts to his shot at the 4th tee box during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Jerry Kelly, right, looks over at his caddy as he lines up his shot at the 5th hole during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Miguel Angel Jimenez performs his signature move where he places his club into an imaginary sheath next to his left hip, like a sword after sinking a putt on the 6th green during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Spectators get an overview of the course along hole 7 during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Spectators watch as golfers sink their putts at the 8th green during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Miguel Angel Jimenez practices his swing before taking his shot along the 9th green during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Woody Austin wills his ball to drop in at the 15th hole during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Spectators watch and take their own photos as golfers play through at the 15th hole during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

A fan gets a better view by climbing into a tree along the 17th green during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Jeff Sluman watches his ball after teeing off at the 6th tee box during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Jeff Sluman hits the ball towards the 18th hole during the final round of the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.
Final round of Cologuard Classic golf tournament

Miguel Angel Jimenez acknowledges the crowd after winning the Cologuard Classic golf tournament at Omni 蜜柚直播 National Resort in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on February 27, 2022.