Fred Couples, left, congratulates Hoag Classic winner, Miguel Angel Jimenez, who finished 15 under at the Newport Beach Country Club tournament Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Spectators pack the course during the Hoag Classic at Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Freddie Jacobson of Sweden competes during the Hoag Classic final round at the Newport Beach Country Club on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Fred Couples,lines up a shot during the Hoag Classic at the Newport Beach Country Club on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain wins the Hoag Classic at the Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain wins the Hoag Classic at the Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Spectators watch Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain swing during the Hoag Classic at the Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach. He won the final round on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Spectators watch Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain swing during the Hoag Classic at the Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach. He won the final round on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain putts during the Hoag Classic at the Newport Beach Country Club in Newport Beach on Sunday, March 23, 2025. He won the event. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 9Fred Couples, left, congratulates Hoag Classic winner, Miguel Angel Jimenez, who finished 15 under at the Newport Beach Country Club tournament Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG) Expand NEWPORT BEACH — History, and hometown favorite Fred Couples, will have to wait. In his quest to become the first three-time champion in tournament history, Couples came up short on Sunday, disappointing a huge gallery at Newport Beach Country Club that came out to support him, while Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez played bogey-free golf to shoot a 4-under 67 and win the 2025 Hoag Classic by one shot. Playing in the final group with Couples, the 36-hole co-leader and a resident of nearby Corona del Mar, Jimenez shot 67-64-67 to finish at 15-under 198, one shot clear of Stewart Cink (14-under after a final round 65) and Swede Freddie Jacobson (14-under after a 67). Undone by a bad approach shot on the third hole, Couples shot an even-par 71 and tied for eighth at 11-under. Tied with playing partner Jacobson going to the par-5 18th hole, Jimenez hit a perfect drive down the middle of the fairway, hit a second-shot 3-wood from 250 yards directly in front of the green, then hit a crisp chip shot up the slope that skidded to a stop near the cup. The tap-in birdie clinched Jimenez’s 15th title on PGA Tour Champions, his second this season, and vaulted him into the lead on the Schwab Cup points list. Jimenez, 61, said it was a routine chip shot except for the circumstances. “With the tournament on the line, it’s not easy,” Jimenez said after the trophy presentation, standing on the middle of the 18th green, where he also received an oversized $300,000 check and the customary white Hoag Hospital lab coat that goes to the champion. “It’s under the pressure, so I tell myself, ‘Contact with the ball, look at the ball, contact with the ball.’ “The chip shot is a little uphill. It’s not a very difficult shot, but in that situation, it’s not easy. I know I had to make birdie to win the tournament, and I make it.” Though disappointed with his uneven play Sunday, Couples said Jimenez unquestionably deserved to win. “I played with Miguel all three days, and he played beautifully,” said Couples. “I’m not going to say he never missed a shot, but he (rarely) hit a ball off-line. He hit it really well today. It was fun to play with him. He deserved to win. … I just had no feel today. I couldn’t scare a scarecrow.” With fans lining the first hole from tee to green, a scene reminiscent of Tiger galleries at Riviera and Torrey Pines in years past, Couples began the final round tied for the lead with Jimenez at 11-under, coming off a second-round 64 – one shot lower than his age. Then he rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 2 to grab sole possession of the lead at 12-under. It turned out to be the first and only roar Sunday from Couples’ very vocal fans. Then he lost the lead and his momentum on the next hole, and he never recovered. He finished the round with 15 consecutive pars, some of them excellent par-saves and some of them good birdie putts he couldn’t convert. In retrospect, Couples’ title chances were dashed by an uncharacteristically wild approach shot from the middle of the fairway on the par-5 third hole, which he pulled into a greenside water hazard en route to a bogey. It was a two-shot swing after playing partners Jimenez and Freddie Jacobson both made birdies. “I make birdie on No. 2 and smoked a drive on No. 3,” Couples said, shaking his head and his voice trailing off. With 230 yards to the front of the green, Couples debated on whether to hit a 5-wood or a 3-hybrid on his second shot. He chose the hybrid and regretted the choice after overswinging and hitting it left in the water. “I’ve never hit the ball in the water there,” Couples said. “Never … I’ve played how many times here? I needed to hit a 5 wood there, but if I push a 5 wood to the right I’ve seen many balls go into no-man’s land, so I just chickened out.” Couples, who has been battling a head cold for the past week, didn’t use it as an excuse. “I’m actually starting to sweat it out,” he said. “But I had no feel today. Just didn’t have much zip. … It was all ugly today; it really was. I couldn’t much. Even when I thought I hit a good shot, it came up short.” In contrast, Jimenez hit the clutch shots when he needed them, especially after Jacobson, Cink and Y. E. Yang all made moves to tie for the lead at different junctures. His most spectacular shot came on the par-4 10th hole after he drove into the left rough. He tried to hit a low hook around a huge tree directly in front of him, but the shot got away from him and wound up well left and past the green. Staring at a very real bogey possibility, he nearly holed a flop shot lipping out for par that protected his lead. “Shot of the week,” Jimenez said. “That was all-world,” Couples said. After that save, Jimenez played a solid the rest of the way, making all pars except for birdies on the par-5 15th and par-5 18th. He made no bogeys in his final 38 holes. After rolling in the short birdie putt to clinch the title, Jimenez pretended to put his sword in an imaginary sheath, the way Chi Chi Rodriguez used to do. Then he lit up a victory cigar. “Arturo Fuente,” he said, smiling. “I’ll bring a whole box next year.” NOTES: The tie for second was rookie Jacobson’s best finish in four starts on PGA Tour Champions. He had a 25-foot birdie attempt to force a playoff on the last hole but missed it right . . .Two-time Hoag Classic champion Jay Haas, 71, shot his age or better in all three rounds: 70-67-69 . . . 2008 Hoag Classic champion Bernhard Langer, the all-time leader with 46 career Champions titles, shot 3-over (74-70-72), his worst finish in a 54-hole Champions event ever. . . . Paul Goydos of Coto de Caza finished tied for 29th at 5-under. Related Articles Golf | Fred Couples, Miguel Angel Jimenez lead 2nd round of Hoag Classic Golf | Rookies thrive in first round at Hoag Classic, with Els and Couples lurking Golf | Jack Nicklaus still earning roars ahead of Hoag Classic in Newport Beach Golf | Rory McIlroy tops J.J. Spaun in playoff to win The Players Championship Golf | San Dimas’ J.J. 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