Jimenez's magical shot in July

Miguel Angel Jiménez of Spain has won The European Tour Shot of the Month Award for July following an inspired piece of improvisation at the world famous ‘Road Hole’ at St Andrews. In the third round of The Open Championship over the Old Course, Jiménez found himself tucked in a near impossible position beneath the wall which forms the course boundary beyond the notorious road behind the 17th green. However, the Spanish Ryder Cup player opted to take the brave option of facing the wall with his back to the green and playing a miraculous shot against the stone dyke. The ball ricocheted off the wall over Jimenez’s head onto the putting surface. A truly brilliant stroke, worthy of the Shot of the Month Award. Jiménez recalled the moment as he prepared to compete in his 22nd consecutive Omega European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre, saying: “I was less than six inches from the wall and I didn’t really have much option other than to play the ball.“There was no place to drop it. I took out my sand wedge and hoped to get a good break but I had no idea how it would turn out as you can’t practise that sort of shot! I was happy to see the ball bounce the right way over my head and onto the green.“ Second place went to Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa for the long eagle putt at the ninth hole in the final round of The Open which effectively sealed his first Major title, while St Andrews was also the venue for the third placed shot, a towering approach to three feet played by Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy at the 17th on his way to an opening-day 63 in The Open. The Shot of the Month is awarded to the Tour Member for the shot judged to be the best played each month on The European Tour International Schedule. At the end of the season, the winning shot from each month will be nominated for The European Tour Shot of the Year Award. The monthly winners to date in 2010 have been Martin Kaymer of Germany (January), England’s Ian Poulter (February), Noh Seung-yul of Korea (March), Lee Westwood of England (April), England’s Luke Donald (May) and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland (June).