COLORADO SPRINGS — The 2025 U.S. Senior Open will be remembered as a four-day duel between Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink at The Broadmoor that went down to the 72nd hole.
But there will also be fond memories of the electric charge Miguel Angel Jimenez put into the final day by storming up the Sunday leaderboard with the round of the tournament. Jimenez roared from six shots back early in his day to get within one stroke of Harrington’s lead before settling for third place.
His final tally: A bogey on the first and last holes, but in between was eight birdies for a magical 6-under and the only 64 of the tournament.
“This golf course is not easy. I played today very well,” Jimenez said. “I gave myself a lot of chances for birdie. … I played brilliant.”
Jimenez began the day at 3-under, five shots back of Harrington, Cink and Mark Hensby. Playing two groups in front of that trio, Jimenez immediately dropped a shot, but birdies on the third and fourth holes helped him keep up with a hot start from Harrington and Cink.
A birdie at No. 14 got him to 9-under, which was just two shots back of the leaders. That’s when Harrington took notice.
“I don’t scoreboard watch, especially as myself and Stewart were going well, I didn’t need to scoreboard watch,” Harrington said. “I knew it was between me and him. We stalled up on the back nine, which often happens. We kind of hit a wall. So on 13, I did ask my caddie, ‘Is it just me and Stewart, or is there anybody else here?’
“I knew he got to 9(-under). I was worried about Miguel because good things are happening to Miguel at the moment. … He’s in that frame of mind to do crazy things.”
Jimenez got to 10-under with his eighth birdie of the day at the 16th hole. His tee shot on the par-3 was solid. The putt was even better. When the Spaniard holstered his putter like a gunslinger in the old West to a large cheer from the gallery, the most interesting man at The Broadmoor this week was firmly in title contention.
His approach on the 17th was too far afoot for another birdie try, and then his tee shot at No. 18 went too far left into the thick rough. Jimenez had to lay up in front of the water-protected green, and it left him with a tough par putt that just missed.
“If I had a chance to get on the green, I would go for that,” Jimenez said. “But as I was talking with my caddie, okay, maybe you can pass the water, but we cannot do anything from there. Is it worth the risk?
“I’ve been hitting very well all week. We make mistakes. We are human. Just made a couple of mistakes. Made a few too many bogeys. Yesterday I finished 2-under par with five bogeys. … Today I make two bogeys too many.”
Jimenez has been one of the hottest players on the PGA Tour Champions circuit this season. He has won three major tournaments on this tour, including one last week when he birdied the final two holes to force a playoff.
He got rolling again on Sunday. Harrington might not have been doing a lot of scoreboard watching, but Jimenez was.
“Of course I’m looking at the scoreboard,” Jimenez said. “I know where I am, of course. I put pressure on me. If there’s pressure there, you know that you are close.
“Yesterday, 10-under par is the target. It’s going to be minus-11 to win, but that is the target to make some impression there.”
And quite the impression was made.
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