Rogers Charity Classic Leader Miguel Angel Jiménez ‘Pushing everyone to be their best’ on PGA Tour champions
The short -term challenge for Stars of the PGA Tour Champions Circuit is to win the Rogers Charity Classic from 2025.
The goal in the long term is to catch the coveted Charles Schwab Cup.
Problems are the same man – in fact, ‘the most interesting man in Golf’ – both performance stands in the way.
That is Miguel Angel Jiménez, the best player on tour and the confident a stroke leader on his way to the last round of Sunday in Canyon Meadows Golf Club.
“He has currently put the bar a bit,” said Steve Alker van Nieuw -Zeeland, who refers to Jiménez and his game both this weekend and during the 2025 season.
“He pushes everyone to be his best,” Alker continued. “I mean … what he has done this year to lead the money list, we have a little chasing. So every week we just go as fast as we can.
“You will probably have to get some victories to catch him.”
The first is the first …
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Alker or someone else in violation of the 61-year-old Spaniard must pick up a few strokes to win one victory.
If not, that would mean a new tournament gain for Jiménez – no less than fifth of the calendar – to distinguish itself further from the field.
At the moment on the Schwab Cup Money list, the colorful and talented-61-year-old has a cue of US $ 2,691,638. The second best earner is American Stewart Cink at $ 1,991,382, while Alker himself follows the third with $ 1,839,930.
That is already a big gap that Jiménez promotes.
And the way he plays, it seems that the cut of $ 375,000 winner at Canyon Meadows is already in his pocket, so that the chase catches him on the season, all the more challenging.
On Saturday he waved a beautiful eagle and seven birdies. The ‘2’ hole-out on the par-4 eighth hole with a nine iron from around 130 meters of his swagger. He celebrated by sliding his weapon in an imaginary sheath on his hip and then doing the Cha-Cha.
“Normal party when you make an eagle on a hole,” Jiménez said cheerfully. “Must celebrate … no? Put the (sword) there (in the sheath), and I do (the dance).”
Perhaps even more impressive was how he shook up a trio for Bogeys, including that to start both nines, and a few shots from trees did not let him rattle when placing a 7-under 63 and his tournament-captive 14-under 126 to 36 holes.
“I never miss a shot, you see?” said a joke Jiménez. “Sometimes the trees come about (in my way), you know?
“No … I’m human,” he went on. “But in general it is very good. The game from the tee, apart from two or three holes, is very solid.
“Only the thing is that you don’t have to understand anyone who is perfect.”
Jiménez himself has been almost perfect in the year, which has made a pretty challenge for the others for the others.
And they know.
“His wave stand is certainly lifting everyone,” said Richard Green van Australia, whose beautiful 8-under-62 Saturday was the best of the day to put him back a blow from Jiménez. “To compete with Miguel you almost have to be almost your game. But he has the runs on the board and the victories under his belt, which simply helps with that background confidence.
“The victory is in him, so everyone knows that. And the boys who chase are probably not won that much, so the pressure is a little more.”
After five second place last year, including here at the Rogers Charity Classic, Green himself has not yet won on the PGA Tour champions.
But he is the man with the next best score-a 13-under-par 127-to that from Jiménez on his way to the final round.
Alker then gives a trio of the following candidates to win on Sunday, besides Raw Rookie Tommy Gainy-Die just 50 and the qualification was to earn his debut and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez, on 12-under 128. Gonzalez won the PGA Tour Hassan II.
Aussie Green himself draws from another source – who is redemption – to surpass the world leader on Sunday.
Green was the leader here last year after day 2, but could not close the deal in the final round. And Ken Tanigawa ended up as the champion of 2024, with a 17-under 193-two shots better than second place Green.
“I made a few changes to my game and a few things that are a bit different than how they were last year, and I am not sure if that makes a difference here,” said Green, when he was asked if he could draw last year’s shortcoming at Canyon Meadows. “The most important thing is to be in a position with nine holes to play (Sunday). You know … focus on making good shots. It’s all that I can really do – just play every shot at the same time and every putt at the same time and my best.”
His best to set fire to a man.
That’s not a simple thing.
“Miguel clearly has a great year, and he will be difficult to beat,” called Green. “So I will have to play my absolutely best wave.
“I should say that (Saturday) was quite close to some of my best wave. So if I can continue to do that, I will be very happy.
“But it is the universe that the winner will choose.”
Nowadays, that universe – the one with the golf gods – seems to opt for Jiménez.
