Miguel Angel Jiménez has been voted the winner of the 1998 “Canon Shot of the Year” Award which is featured in the 11th edition of the European Tour Yearbook.
The Spaniard, who acted as vice-captain to Seve Ballesteros in the 1997 Ryder Cup, enjoyed his best year on the European Tour, winning twice and finishing fourth in the Volvo Ranking with winnings of £518,819.
It was at the second of his two victories, in the Trophée Lancôme at Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche, that Jiménez conjured up the shot which was considered worthy of winning the Canon Award.
Jiménez had gone into the final round of the tournament with a two-stroke lead over a strong field which included Masters and Open champion, Mark O’Meara and US Tour leading money winner, David Duval.
The 18th hole, a teasing 209-yards par three with water on the right of the green, had proved troublesome to both O’Meara and Duval, who lost their chance to win by taking bogey and double-bogey respectively.
By the time they finished the hole, Jiménez was watching from the 18th tee and knew that a par three would probably secure the title, although Greg Turner still had an outside chance of catching him.
Jiménez, with his wife, Monserrat, looking on, missed the green left and the ball finished under the grandstand. From there, he needed to go to the dropping zone, from where O’Meara had failed to get up and down just minutes earlier.
The chip he faced was over a ridge and downhill all the way to the hole, with the water lurking dangerously just behind. To compound the problem, the ball was sitting down in the two-inch semi-rough.
However Jiménez made perfect contact with the ball. The pace and line were exactly right and the ball ran into the hole for a birdie two and a two-stroke victory. Jiménez threw down his visor in delight and hugged his caddie, knowing he had just executed the shot of a lifetime.
That shot follows a long line of magnificent efforts down the years. Last year the Canon Shot of the Year award went to Colin Montgomerie’s nerveless drive at the 18th hole at Valderrama against Scott Hoch, with the Ryder Cup on the line.
Another stroke of genius the previous season won Montgomerie the award when he hit his driver off the fairway at the last hole to win the Dubai Desert Classic.
Prior to that, the shot which captured the imagination of the world was Nick Faldo’s wedge to the 18th at Oak Hill in the Ryder Cup singles against Curtis Strange.
The 1999 European Tour Yearbook - an official European Tour publication - provides lively and comprehensive coverage of all European Tour events, as recorded by the game’s leading writers and photographers.
In this full colour, hardback, limited edition lie the stories behind the winners and losers and the highlights from an exceptionally competitive season.
There are great moments galore, from José Maria Olazábal’s victory in the Dubai Desert Classic; Montgomerie’s first success in the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club; Lee Westwood’s four wins during a season in which he triumphed in successive weeks and Darren Clarke’s sensational record-equalling round to capture the Volvo Masters.
Also, the Yearbook offers comprehensive coverage of the Challenge and Seniors Tour, making the 1999 European Tour Yearbook a valuable addition to any golfer’s collection.
Montgomerie, European No1 for the past six seasons, said: “The European Tour Yearbook provides a fascinating account of the entire season, reminding us of the highs and lows that have made the season so special. This wonderful book is an essential part of any golf enthusiast’s library.”
