In The Prime Of Life

You can never write off Miguel Angel Jimenez. At 46, some of us thought that the charismatic Spaniard might be beginning to drift down the list of superstars and start thinking about the Seniors Tour in a few years. Obviously we never told him. The cigar-smoking, ponytailed, crocodile-skin-shoe wearing "Mechanic" showed us all today that he's still out there hunting titles. After a missed cut and a T-60 to start 2010, Jimenez got his game together and finally got his name on the trophy that has just eluded him three times. A final round 72 on a difficult day was enough to get into a playoff with Lee Westwood, and then we saw his true class. Outpowered on the 18th hole - the scene of the first two playoff holes - Jimenez stayed in it with a couple of gutsy pars, and while Westwood failed to convert twice. A bogey on the 9th cost the Englishman dearly, as Miguel Angel coolly slotted home from four feet to win.

Jimenez is just great fun to watch, not just for his style but for his intense competitiveness. When he gets on a roll he'll just knock down the flagsticks all the way round. I'd written him off for Celtic Manor later this year, and although he's got some competition from the new generation, he's not going to let them have it all their own way. He held them off today, and he looked like he enjoyed it.

Westwood will be kicking himself - he had his chances and didn't take them. He did well to get his composure back after back-to-back bogeys on the home nine, but he came up just short once again. He's really starting to putt well this year, and added to his already classy long game, we all know he's going to win a few this year, and maybe one of the big ones.

Rory McIlroy couldn't get it going on the greens today, but it was a sterling defence of his title nonetheless. Finishing in a tie for 6th place, McIlroy will look back on what could have been so much more - he didn't take his chances early on in the round and the last four or five holes sealed his fate. We have to remember, though - he's still a relative newcomer to the Tour, and the level of his consistency is incredible. Last season, he notched up a dozen top-5 finishes, and this year he's started with a 3rd and a 6th. He's one of those guys who's always there or thereabouts, and even when you watch him missing greens and putts you find out he's only a shot or two back. You don't have to win every event you play, and if you're throwing in top-10s consistently you won't be far off the titles. Jack Nicklaus - we all know the 18-major stat - what about the 19 major runner-ups?

I've picked Martin Kaymer and McIlroy before as the two players to be at the summit of European and World golf in 10 years time - the young German gave another stellar performance today. Like McIlroy, he couldn't do quite enough to match Westwood and Jimenez, but a 4th place finish included some fabulous play. He's an absolute joy to watch - his swing and temperament are as calm as each other, and when he gets a sniff of victory he's after it in a shot. Many more wins are just around the corner.

Spare a thought for Alvaro Quiros - he looked in control after hitting the 13th in two - 3 holes later he'd taken 9 putts and his week was over. Once you saw him miss the first short one you felt he was shaken, by the time he left himself the third one it was just a cruel joke. Quiros has oodles of talent, but he got a tough lesson today - the mental game down the stretch is pretty tough. He got to see Westwood deal with it today, and I've no doubt he'll be the better for it as the year goes on.

The other man to miss out was Thongchai Jaidee - the talented Thai missed from 5 feet at last to miss out on a spot in the playoff. He played great golf throughout the week, struggled today, but still did almost enough. Jaidee doesn't get the credit he deserves - he tends to put a couple of good months together each year - he'll be playing in the majors this year and will have to take advantage.

That's the end of the Gulf Swing - as always it delivered some incredible golf - we'd close finishes at each tournament. Next week is the inaugural Avantha Masters in India, before we go to Tucson for the World Matchplay. Tiger and Mickelson won't be in Arizona, but keep an eye on the guys in the hunt today - at least one of them's going to have a run at it.

He's Back

In 2008, European golf was dominated by one man. It wasn't Padraig Harrington, who made the global headlines. Back at home, notching up 10 top-5 finishes before finally winning back-to-back, Swede Robert Karlsson was Mr. Consistency. 2009 was a little different - Lee Westwood took on Karlsson's job, and Karlsson injured his eye. He missed much of the season, and failed to get a rhythm going all year. Anyone who's ever seen him play golf, however, knew it wouldn't last long.

At the end of 2009 Karlsson came second to Edoardo Molinari in a Challenge Tour event in Asia, and for me that heralded his return. Since then he put in a great performance in the World Cup, and heading to Qatar last week you'd be mad to write him off. A man with a temperament and a swing like his doesn't just go away. His health is back to 100%, so start watching the majors.

Sunday's performance was vintage Karlsson. He shot 65, with 7 birdies and no bogeys. His irons, as always when he's playing well, were scarily good. As usual though, the aspect of his game which won him the title was his mind. He just does not rattle. Put Karlsson and Stenson in a Ryder Cup pairing - they may not win, but from 3 or 4 down they won't fuss. They'll just continue along calmly, being tall and talented and Swedish, and play their own game.

Lee Westwood threw all he had at Karlsson on Sunday. He made 4 birdies in 5 holes on the back, including a ticklish birdie on 14 after Karlsson had stitched his to the pin. Karlsson kept his head, and hit fairways and greens. Westwood bogeyed the 16th, and Karlsson birdied 17 and 18. If there's a man you want to put your house on with a lead coming down the stretch look no further.

It was a fine performance from Alvaro Quiros in defence of his crown. He produced three birdies on the spin to finish and grab solo second place. Quiros is one of the most exciting prospects in world golf at the moment, and he's showed he's not scared of the big stage, posting a strong showing at the US PGA last year. He's a man Monty will want in his team for Celtic Manor - he's got fire in his belly and hits it a million yards.

Westwood may have faltered at the end, but we know he's playing the best golf of his career. He's going to win a major very soon, and don't be surprised if he clocks up 4 or 5 wins on Tour this year, which is no mean feat given the talent around today.

It would be wrong not to mention Paul Casey. Coming back from injury last year has been tough for him, but he played three great rounds here before he just had one of those days. Phil Mickelson did the same last night in Torrey Pines - these things happen. Casey isn't too far of his best golf again.

The final event of the Gulf Swing is on in Dubai this week where Rory McIlroy defends the title he so nearly threw away last year, before making a great sand save at the last. There's nothing short of a phenomenal field playing, including Karlsson and Westwood. We should be in for another fantastic tournament, and before we start, I'm going to go for Karlsson - when he gets on a roll he just keeps on rolling like he'll never stop. He's eyes look keen and back to the best - I'm sure they see another victory waiting in Dubai.

Abu Dhabi Doo!

The Abu Dhabi Championship may only be five years old, but already it has all the hallmarks of a classic. Today, Martin Kaymer claimed the trophy for the second time in three years as he overcame Ian Poulter by a single shot.

In 2008, Kaymer saw a six-shot lead disintegrate before managing to hang on to his maiden Tour title. Having finished runner-up last year, this year was different once again - leading by a stroke with 18 holes to go, neither Kaymer nor Poulter dropped shots in their rounds of 66, and it took a birdie on the last for the German to ensure victory.

Martin Kaymer is only 25, but already he looks supremely assured on the course - he shot 67-67-67-66 this week to win his 5th European Tour title, and seems at ease playing with the best. This win moves him up to a career-high world number 6, and the way he looked this week it's obvious that the best is yet to come. He has a wonderful swing, and his putting was key this week. He's shown bottle in all of his wins, including two playoff victories, and Colin Montgomerie will already be licking his chops at the Ryder Cup pairings he can plan for the young German.

When Ian Poulter is on from, he's on form. Give him a scent of the lead and he'll go after it like a terrier. We've seen him hold his nerve before - at the Open Championship in 2008, and the Ryder Cup later that year - this week's play suggests he's heading for a good year. He won in Singapore in November to bring an end to a 3-year winless streak - he might never go that long without a victory again. His runner-up spot this week has lifted him into the world's top 10 for the first time, and they'd better get used to him. He'll be disappointed that he couldn't put his approach to the 18th today a little closer to give himself an easier put for the playoff, but he knows his game is back, and there's no one more confident in his own ability.

Rory McIlroy left himself just too much to do in the end - an early bogey caused him to slip off the pace of the leaders, and while he picked up 4 shots on the back nine, he needed an eagle on the last to force a playoff. Once his drive found the thick rough off the right-hand fairway, his race was practically run. He's started the year well once again, however, and he'll be looking forward to defending his title in Dubai in a fortnight.

One more player who deserves a mention is Shane Lowry - the young Irishman failed to make ground yesterday with a 71, and a 67 today could only leave him in 4th place. Not bad however, for a man who was an amateur this time last year. Lowry has faced a lot of criticism since his Irish Open win, but let's face it - the move from amateur to professional is not easy, and it was always going to take him some time to find his form. He's started the year well, and if you remember his win in Baltray you'll remember his guts - he didn't have an easy time of it that rainy Sunday - he lost his lead and regained it, before eventually prevailing in a playoff. There's plenty more of Lowry to come in 2010.

The Tour stays in the Gulf for the next two weeks, and we head to Qatar on Thursday, where Alvaro Quiros, one of the most exciting talents on the Tour along with Kaymer and McIlroy, is defending. Join me again this week to have a look at what he faces.