Dubai : Even after an eight-year break from top-level caddieing, Dubai resident Mark Stannard proved he hadn't lost his touch when he helped his old mate Miguel Angel Jimenez to a first Omega Dubai Desert Classic win last Sunday.
And despite the 35-year-old Zimbabwean being offered a permanent job on the Spaniard's bag, he told XPRESS he had no choice but to turn down a return to the tour circuit.
"I have caddied for him before when I used to be a full-time caddie on the European Tour in 2001 and 2002," said Stannard, who has been living in Dubai since he gave up carrying the bag.
"We've always stayed in touch and have met up whenever he's come down to play in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. It was on Tuesday when he first asked me if I would like to work with him full time.
"I said: ‘I'm privileged but I'm sorry, I can't. I've got my family and my business over here.' Then right through Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, he kept asking me again, jokingly.
"He asked me if I would at least consider it if he won - that was on Saturday. Then after winning it on Sunday, he said to me in the changing room, ‘So you're not going to consider saying yes even now?' But everything went very well and it was a good week," Stannard added.
Stannard, who runs a flower farm for Abdullah Masaood in Al Ain while wife Erika manages the family's own flower wholesale business, was enjoying a routine Sunday evening at home when Jimenez called to hire his services. "He said: ‘Would you like to work for me for a week?' I said: ‘Of course'. But I had to first apply for a week's leave and thankfully my boss said: ‘No problem, go and enjoy it'."
On two occasions in the past, Jimenez, who first played the Desert Classic in 1990, was perched atop of the leaderboard after 54 holes but came second.
With Stannard it was third time lucky. "He had fun on the course, that's what was important," said Stannard. "It was a relaxed atmosphere the whole week and he was consistent and he played really well," he added.
Jimenez was quick to give credit to Stannard for his role in the victory. "With my old caddie, I felt lonely out on the golf course," said the 46-year-old Spaniard who claims he is getting better with age. "Now I have this friend. He lives here and runs his own business. He has caddied before and we are very close friends and that's what you need on a golf course. You need to feel happy and be understood."
For a large part of the sudden-death playoff which went to the third extra hole, Westwood was the man on top, but Stannard revealed he and Jimenez had fancied their chances at what proved to be the decisive hole.
"When the match referee came and said the playoff would be at [holes] 18, 18 and nine, we both said if we could get to the ninth, we have a chance.
"Westwood hits longer and could always make the 18th in two, so it was just a case of getting through 18. Miguel had played the ninth well all week so we felt we had a good chance."
He added: "We did have that lucky break when that ball fell within an inch of rolling into the water [at 18]. So if there was any one turning point I guess that was it."
