Dubai: The smell of cigar smoke in the No-Smoking press room at the end of the Dubai Desert Classic told its own story -- Miguel Angel Jimenez was back in the winner's circle at the ripe old age of 46.
The colourful Spaniard had just defeated European No.1 Lee Westwood in a drama-packed, three-hole playoff to seal one of the biggest wins of his career and send out a clear signal that he is still a force to be reckoned with.
It was his 16th win on the European Tour and remarkably a record nine of these have come since he turned 40.
It's all a long way since he took up golf at the late age of 15 back home in Malaga on the Costa del Sol, inspired by the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Sandy Lyle when he was caddying at the 1979 Spanish Open.
It was hard going at first but with an iron will he slowly but surely established himself during the 1990s at a time when his heroes were all starting to fade.
Now he is a veteran of the tour and that is a position he relishes.
"When I started it's Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Berhnard Langer, Woosie, Faldo -- all of these top players and they are from the top of the wave and big explosion and you get there, oh my idols," said Jimenez in his best broken English.
"You play for a time with them, having fun with them and then I saw Darren Clarke coming in, Westwood coming in and Thomas Bjorn -- all of these guys.
"And now coming the new era again, another new era. And for me it's a great honour to be part of the future of golf.
"It's going to be two, three, four more years on the main tour, five years, I don't know but of course I'm going to enjoy myself of this new experience. This is wonderful."
The enjoyment will certainly be shared by the golfing galleries worldwide who have warmed to the Spaniard and his unique appeal.
In contrast to the lean and mean demeanour of the latest wave of young golfers, Jimenez cuts a distinctive figure with his pot belly, double chin and frizzled pony tail that has been likened to a ferret darting up the back of his baseball cap.
And then there is the penchant for the best Havana cigars and vintage Spanish Rioja wines that he always compares himself to with a big, cheesy grin.
However, Jimenez is aware that time waits for no man and he has even taken to making rare appearances in the gym in an effort to stay competitive.
"The last three weeks, I've been in the gym almost every day," he said in Dubai.
"I bring my trainer here, because I do nothing in the winter. Not weights during the tournament rounds though. Making weights Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays - a little bit, not much, you can see my body.
"Working a lot on the cardio and some abs and lumbar -- that is the trick in the gym and then the recovery afterwards -- sit at the table and have a nice steak, a nice bottle of wine.
"You need balance. You cannot all only be on one side."
Despite all his successes and insistence that he is primarily out to enjoy himself, there is still one thing that Jimenez hankers after -- a major title.
He has come close before notably a tie for second at the 2000 US open and tie for third at 2001 British Open and he has not yet given up hope that his day will come.
"I would love to win a major to end my career and I'm still working, still doing my things and I hope I have another chance to be on top of the leaderboard and have my chances to win a major," he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 19:10