Blade rage can't stop Jimenez

“I DRAIN so many it’s scary,” goes the seductive promotion for an expensive putter. Sure, buy it. Maybe arm yourself with the $6,500 (€4,800) Scotty Cameron Tour Gold Golf Putter, or perhaps, like Jim Furyk last year, win €8 million with a putter bought for €28.

If neither takes your fancy, you can follow the example of Miguel Angel Jimenez and putt with the leading edge of your lobwedge. Dead cheap.

Jimenez snapped his putter in half after a brief but angry outburst of blade rage at the 13th hole at the Royal Golf Club course yesterday.

Unperturbed, the charismatic Spaniard reached for his wedge at the next hole, and it proved a perfect replacement as he went on to earn a share of the lead at the Volvo Golf Champions tournament.

After missing a number of putts, Jimenez hurled his putter at his bag after he botched a three-footer, and the club broke on impact.

Under the Rules of Golf, he was not allowed to replace it, so instead putted out over the closing five holes using his wedge.

Rather than fall back in the field, the 47-year-old took just seven more “putts” for the round.

He had taken 22 putts up until the incident and, remarkably, recorded a total of 29 putts for his second round of 65, which earned a four-way share of the lead on 11 under par.

“It was not the intention to break it, because, as you know, it’s supposed to be easy to putt with the putter and not with the lobwedge,” said Jimenez. “I’m thinking now I might start using my lobwedge as I made a birdie with that one.”

Playing partner Darren Clarke couldn’t hide his amusement at the incident: “I think he made a very good shoulder turn while throwing the putter,” said Clarke. “Both Monty and myself, we gave him 6.0 marks for the technique. There’s something to learn from him. I am going to make the same shoulder turn when I have to throw a putter next.”

Bobby Jones reputedly putted with “Calamity Jane”, a reference to the vagaries and changing moods of the blade. Jones knew, as Jimenez illustrated, you can putt with just about anything with confidence.

Jimenez shares the lead with Sweden’s Peter Hanson, Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin and Italy’s Edoardo Molinari.

Hanson eagled the ninth and then birdied four holes in succession from the 11th.

“I’m really looking forward to the weekend and being back up in contention, and hopefully another solid round tomorrow and then it’s going to be very interesting come Sunday,” said the Swede.

“I don’t think anyone is going to run away with this event tomorrow.”

Clarke was in fine form after a seven-under 65 left him just a shot behind the leaders, alongside Paul Casey, South African James Kingston and Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher.