Were you really surprised that Miguel Angel Jiminez won on his Champions Tour debut in America last Sunday?
He was fourth in The Masters a fortnight ago and his 36-hole weekend score was three shots lower than the next best player.
My only concern for Miguel last week was whether he would be fresh enough and fit enough after four gruelling rounds at Augusta.
But playing a Seniors event was obviously the perfect release. Suddenly he was the youngest guy in the field and it’s amazing how good that makes you feel.
However, Miguel has no intentions of switching to that circuit just yet. Not when he has the goal of trying to make the Ryder Cup team.
It’s a very realistic ambition and he is in a strong position in both qualifying lists.
Raymond Floyd made the American team in 1993 aged 51 and I’d love to see Miguel make it to Gleneagles at the age of 50.
His quest is going to be one of the stories of the summer. And you can’t bet against him in his current form.
Nor would he be a hindrance if he made Paul McGinley’s team. He was Europe’s stand-out player in the EurAsia Cup last month.
And in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor he wasn’t intimidated by Bubba Watson’s enormous hitting and beat the Masters Champion 4&3.
The Spaniard has become one of the game’s star attractions. He’s a real crowd pleaser with his smile and easy demeanour, while the cigars and the Rioja create the impression of someone who loves life.
It’s a breath of fresh air compared to the approach of some young pros, for whom a missed putt seems like the end of the world.
And his warm-up exercises are bringing him a cult status. On his sponsors’ days, he encourages guests to join in his limbering up all the while with a cigar in clamped in his mouth!
On a wider point though, Miguel is changing attitudes about age in golf. Most players in their mid-40s are already looking towards the Seniors Tour.
He’s won five times since turning 45!
Golfers look after themselves more and can compete later these days. Tom Watson showed that in nearly winning The Open at Turnberry at 59.
There’s a strong case for raising the age for Seniors golf from 50 to 55.
Others have tried to reduce it, but watching Miguel, there’s no way you can call him a veteran.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe