Olazabal collapse hands title to Jimenez

A late collapse by Jose Maria Olazabal handed the Turespana Mallorca Classic title to compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez on Sunday.

Olazabal headed Jimenez, who had set a six-under-par 204 target in the event reduced to 54 holes because of bad weather, with a closing five-under-par 65, by two strokes with just two holes to go.

But Olazabal double-bogeyed the 17th and then bogeyed the 18th to finish a stroke behind in second place.

Jimenez, winning his seventh European Tour title, thought he had lost when he bogeyed the 17th and was so sure Olazabal would edge him out he had changed into a shirt and jeans.

Olazabal had looked assured of his seventh Spanish title after overtaking faltering overnight leader David Park of Britain but he hit out-of-bounds on the penultimate hole.

When he sprayed his ball wide right on the short 18th and chipped from on the green 10ft past to bogey for a round of 70, his chance of a 23rd European Tour title had gone.

Jimenez, picking up his fourth win in Spain, had thrown down the gauntlet by running up six birdies before his late blemish.

He said: "It was a pity for Jose Maria but I had good feelings all day long. He was playing so solid I thought he must win but then I heard he had double-bogeyed 17 so I had to go off and get changed because I thought there would be a playoff."

Jimenez's recent change in attitude helped him, he said, and might comfort Olazabal: "Sometimes we have to realise we are only human and human beings miss putts and fairways."

His 66,660 points for winning, took him to second in the European Ryder Cup table.

A dejected Olazabal, who has been given the job of redesigning the Pula course, said: "The tournament was mine when I was standing on the 17th tee, but I just didn't know how to catch it.

"I wanted to fade my tee shot but I overcut it and it went out of bounds.

"Then the 18th was very difficult. I couldn't putt because of the way the green went so I had to play a chip and then missed the putt coming back."

Two Britons shared third place a further stroke behind, Jamie Spence and Gary Emerson. Spence has virtually assured himself of his card for next year with his finish.

Pre-tournament favourite Lee Westwood finished 10 strokes behind Jimenez, closing with a 73 for tied 47th.

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