Oz in Spain

Plans to return to Tour – eventually

IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC appearance in three months, since a car accident on 27 November precipitated one of most spectacular falls from grace in sporting history, Tiger Woods said he was sorry for his infidelities and said he would continue to undergo treatment before one day returning to the game.

“Now every one of you has good reason to be critical of me,” said Woods during a carefully managed press conference at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse. “I want to say to each of you, simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behaviour I engaged in.

“I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game.”

Helping Spanish youngsters improve their English

IMAGEN©TURISMO ANDALUZ S.A.

FUENGIROLA Town Hall is asking English-speaking families, couples or individuals to help promote English-speaking skills among the town’s youth. […]

“Oh, they’ve crashed!”

IT WAS AUSTRALIA’S first-ever Winter Olympics gold medal – and one of the most bizarre on record. As the 2010 Games begin in Vancouver, we enjoy a nostalgic, teary-eyed and still incredulous look back at the 1,000-metre short track final in the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, where Stephen Bradbury, a then 28-year-old from Brisbane, was last man around the final bend but almost the last man standing when he raced across the finishing line in the aftermath of a multiple pile-up involving the rest of the field. Incredibly, he had also been trailing in the semi-final but came through on the fly because the referee ruled he had been impeded. Priceless!

From Dubai triumph to Costa del Sol birthplace

(Photo: Jorge Andréu)

By PEDRO BOLICHERO

THE LAST TIME the Open de Andalucía was held at Málaga’s venerable Parador course, Miguel Ángel Jiménez delighted local fans with a resounding four-stroke victory. Now the Churriana-born player will be back at the course from 25 to 28 March in his dual role as promoter of the tournament and one of the European Tour’s established leading lights. […]

New director at Hotel Villa Padierna

RIVERO DELGADO has taken over as the new director of Hotel Villa Padierna in Marbella. […]

INAUGURATED ON 18 February, artist and sculpturer Gleny Köhnke’s latest exhibition will remain on show at Casino Marbella until 7 April (open every day from 7pm). […]

Marbella club embraces environmental initiative

LA QUINTA Golf & Country Club has become one of the first courses on the Costa del Sol to adapt its amenities and practices in line with a newly announced decree by the Junta de Andalucía (regional government). […]

High-performance Jiménez triumphs in Dubai

Dual role as promoter of Open de Andalucía at Aloha in 2008 (Photo: Josele Sánchez)

By PEDRO BOLICHERO

IT WAS TOWARDS the end of 2003 and the Coast’s favourite golfing son, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, was mingling with guests at a presentation lunch in the La Quinta clubhouse. He stopped to chat with a group of local journalists, including yours truly, who noted that the golfer’s 40th birthday was coming up (5 January) and made some jocular remark about getting old (he himself having passed the milestone several years before). Feigning indignation, Jiménez retorted, “Old? What do you mean – not at all!”, winked and moved on to a less incriminatory group. […]

Birthday celebrations at MC Cafe

RODDY SHASHOUA jetted in from Miami to celebrate his birthday at Marbella’s MC Café, where 80 guests enjoyed a sparkling champagne reception followed by a superb three-course lunch. Entertainers Carlos and Pilar performed great hits from the ‘70s and ‘80s, as guests took to the floor to dance the afternoon away. […]

STOCKBROKER David Kiely became the latest unwitting You Tube star after being caught live on national Australian TV looking at revealing photos of supermodel Miranda Kerr. Kiely was facing meetings with executives to determine his future at the bank after he was seen to open a series of emails featuring photos of Kerr from a GQ shoot, while a Macquarie Private Wealth colleague (in the foreground) was live on air with the Seven Network discussing interest rates.