The 35-year-old surged out of the pack on the final day with a closing round of 65 to capture the £166,000 title.

Jimenez's victory, by two strokes from overnight leader Retief Goosen of South Africa, Ireland's Padraig Harrington and German Bernhard Langer, follows Jose Maria Olazabal's triumph in the US Masters and Sergio Garcia's emergence as a world star.

The three stars also combined to give Spain their first-ever success in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews three weeks ago.

Late charge

Jimenez, four behind Goosen at the start of the day, birdied four of the last seven holes to finish on 19-under-par and consign both Goosen and Harrington to their fifth runners-up places of the season.

It also killed off Harrington's hopes of ending Colin Montgomerie's six-year reign as European number one, as he needed to win to stay in the race.

With Open champion Paul Lawrie failing to win as well - he was 10th - the only three players who can catch Montgomerie at next week's world championship are Garcia, Lee Westwood and Goosen.

Sergio surges on

Garcia continued his fabulous rookie season by sharing fifth spot with defending champion Darren Clarke and now moves ahead of Westwood - who could only finish 30th on eight-under - in second place.

Jimenez, who captured the Turespana Masters in his home town Malaga in March, said: "I feel a great satisfaction at being the first Spaniard to win the Volvo Masters. It makes me feel very proud.

"Also winning here with all my friends and family and half of Churriana, the village where I was born, makes me feel very happy.

"This has been the best year of my career."

He made his Ryder Cup debut in Boston and, unlike fellow rookies Andrew Coltart, Jean Van de Velde and Jarmo Sandelin, was used in all five series by captain Mark James, winning once and halving twice.

Volvo Masters final scores: