Miguel Angel Jimenez gave the small morning crowd a thrill on Thursday in Round 1 of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
At the 174-yard, par-3 15th hole at Abu Dhabi G.C., Jimenez made his eighth-career European Tour ace with a one-bounce-and-in shot. The ace puts Jimenez one behind Colin Montgomerie's tour hole-in-one record.
Jimenez celebrated in the tee box with a some high fives and fist pumps, as well a kiss for the camera. When the Mechanic got to the green, he did a delightful, Ric Flair-inspired strut for the gallery.
The ace was part of a tumultuous back nine for the Spaniard, who started with a double bogey, then three birdies, a par, then the ace, then two bogeys and a closing par for 1-under 35 on the side. Jimenez shot even-par 72 on the day to trail Day 1 leader Martin Kaymer by eight shots.
The downside for Jimenez? It was the second ace of the day, behind Tom Lewis at the seventh hole, who won a car for his efforts. Jimenez got nada.
