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Hong Kong - Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez held off the rampaging Fredrik Andersson Hed to win the $2m UBS Hong Kong Open on Sunday by one shot and become the oldest winner on the European Tour at age 48.
The Swede surged into contention with a six-under-par 64 for a four-day total of 14-under-par 266. But Jimenez, the overnight co-leader, clung on. He carded a final-round 65 to take the trophy home by the most slender of margins.
It was Jimenez's third Hong Kong title, after wins at Fanling in 2004 and 2007.
With Andersson Hed finishing before the overnight joint leaders of Jimenez and the 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand, the cigar-chomping Spaniard knew he only had to make par at the 18th for a historic victory.
"I saw Andersson had a 14-under-par and I knew I just had to concentrate, keep my pace, keep my rhythm and keep hitting the ball the way I was hitting it," said Jimenez, who had exuded confidence as he strode along the 18th fairway.
"It's an honour to make a record," he added. "And I hope it isn't the last one."
Jimenez, at 48 years and 318 days, beats the previous oldest winner on the European Tour. That was Des Smyth, who was 48 years and 34 days when he triumphed at the 2001 Madeira Islands Open.
Jimenez, a vice-captain for Europe's victorious team at the Ryder Cup at Medinah, was a picture of consistency, carding rounds of 65, 67, 68 and 65 at the par-70 Hong Kong Golf Club.
He only made two bogeys all week - both in the first round on Thursday. He pockets €260 638.04 ($333 000).
Australia's Marcus Fraser rocketed five places up the leaderboard with his final-round 64 to finish third overall, two shots behind Andersson Hed and three behind Jimenez.
Italian sensation Matteo Manassero, who at one stage in the final round got within just a single shot of the leader, was joint fourth on 11-under, together with Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and the Irishman Peter Lawrie.
Matt Kuchar, of the United States, was seventh on nine-under.
Campbell's championship assault faded badly on the last day. He ended tied eighth with Pablo Larrazabal after the strapping Kiwi carded a disappointing 72.
Scores from the European Tour Hong Kong Open at the par-70 course on Sunday in Hong Kong:
265 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 65 67 68 65 266 Fredrik Andersson Hed (Sweden) 66 66 70 64 268 Marcus Fraser (Australia) 67 69 68 64 269 Stephen Gallacher (Britain) 68 68 68 65
Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 68 68 67 66
Matteo Manassero (Italy) 67 70 64 68 271 Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 69 69 66 67 272 Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) 69 70 65 68
Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 67 64 69 72 273 Chris Wood (Britain) 72 70 68 63
Mark Foster (Britain) 69 68 68 68
Paul Lawrie (Britain) 69 69 67 68
Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 72 66 67 68
Anders Hansen (Denmark) 69 64 70 70 274 Ricardo Santos (Portugal) 71 65 73 65
David Horsey (Britain) 67 70 71 66
Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 66 71 69 68
Zhang Lianwei (China) 66 66 69 73 275 Simon Dyson (Britain) 68 70 72 65
Paul Casey (Britain) 70 71 67 67
James Morrison (Britain) 70 67 70 68 276 Gregory Bourdy (France) 67 73 70 66
Julien Quesne (France) 68 72 69 67
Alejandro Canizares (Spain) 74 68 67 67
Kim Gi-Hwan (South Korea) 70 69 69 68
Liang Wenchong (China) 71 70 67 68
Thaworn Wiratchant (Thailand) 70 68 69 69
Jyoti Randhawa (India) 68 70 67 71
Raphael Jacquelin (France) 72 68 64 72 277 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) 70 72 68 67
Chan Yih-Shin (Taiwan) 69 69 71 68
Arnond Vongvanij (Thailand) 71 65 73 68
Prom Meesawat (Thailand) 70 71 67 69
Mardan Mamat (Singapore) 67 70 70 70
Kwanchai Tannin (Thailand) 68 69 69 71
Lorenzo Gagli (Italy) 66 72 67 72 278 Gary Boyd (Britain) 68 71 70 69
Kristoffer Broberg (Sweden) 71 70 67 70
Andrew Dodt (Australia) 65 73 68 72 279 Juvic Pagunsan (Philippines) 72 68 72 67
Wade Ormsby (Australia) 75 66 69 69
Joonas Granberg (Finland) 70 70 69 70
Andrew Marshall (Britain) 71 69 69 70
Brett Rumford (Australia) 73 68 68 70
Berry Henson (U.S.) 71 70 68 70
Daisuke Kataoka (Japan) 68 67 72 72 280 Alex Cejka (Germany) 72 69 70 69
Pariya Junhasavasdikul (Thailand) 71 71 69 69
Javier Colomo (Spain) 64 71 72 73 281 Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 72 69 74 66
Tony Lascuna (Philippines) 71 71 70 69
Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 75 66 70 70
Rhys Davies (Britain) 71 71 69 70 282 Steve Webster (Britain) 71 71 73 67
Adam Blyth (Australia) 71 70 72 69
Scott Strange (Australia) 73 69 70 70
Chinnarat Phadungsil (Thailand) 70 69 72 71
Joel Sjoeholm (Sweden) 67 72 72 71
Simon Khan (Britain) 67 73 70 72
Mo Joong-Kyung (South Korea) 69 71 68 74 283 Gregory Havret (France) 74 68 71 70
Johan Edfors (Sweden) 70 71 71 71
Jordan Gibb (Britain) 72 67 72 72
Lee Slattery (Britain) 69 72 69 73
Lin Wen-Tang (Taiwan) 72 68 68 75 284 Kalle Samooja (Finland) 69 73 72 70
Zaw Moe (Myanmar) 72 68 71 73
Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (France) 72 69 69 74 285 David Howell (Britain) 68 70 75 72
Richard Bland (Britain) 70 72 71 72 288 Adilson Da Silva (Brazil) 69 72 72 75 291 Scott Hend (Australia) 68 74 78 71
Timothy Tang (Hong Kong) 74 67 75 75
