A few years ago, Martin Kaymer had just won the USPGA title one of four successive tournament victories for the likeable German. He appeared to be the golfer most likely to succeed a certain Tiger Wood as the dominant force in the game, a mantle at time being passed back and forth from Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Phil Mickelson. Kaymer seemed to have everything required, (mental strength and repeatable swing mechanics) to dominate the world of golf, but the allure of The Masters proved a big problem. Kaymer felt that his natural game was not suited to the demands of the Bobby Jones tournament course and set about trying to hit a tee shot with draw to better fit, in his mind anyway, the Augusta layout. The result of this tinkering was that Kaymer not only wasn’t comfortable trying to hit different shots but in trying so hard lost the natural rhythm of his “normal” swing and instead of competing at Augusta, he slipped down the rankings and it appeared his time had gone.
In 2012, Kaymer had a bright start to the season but his form tailed off as in the previous 2 years and by the close of Ryder Cup qualification, he had only just qualified for the European team. His chance of making it to Medinah that year depended on hanging on to that ninth qualification spot, as with the likes of Ian Poulter already requiring a captains pick to make the team, there was little chance of the out of sorts Kaymer getting the nod. Like most of team Europe, Kaymer’s first 2 days at Medinah did not go well, until the Sunday fightback that would go down in history as the Miracle at Medinah. As Europe suddenly pulled the competition back to all square and then briefly even led, it became clear it was coming down to Kaymer and/or Francesco Molinari up against Steve Stricker and Woods. When Kaymer arrived at the par 3 17th all square the pressure was mounting but held his nerve on the green to sink a crucial put for a half, so on to 18th. Kaymer after two blows on just on the left edge of the green, whilst Stricker mis-clubbed and was off the back of the green, Stricker’s put left him a good 15ft from the hole, meaning Kaymer had 2 shots for the Cup. A whole continent were willing him to just cosy the ball up to the hole, but pressure does strange things at times and Kaymer’s chip went by the hole leaving what the average golfer calls one of those knee knocking putts. I am not sure many people were confident but he made the putt and was surely buoyed by this experience on the up again?
Well no, not really. 2013 was another quiet one by his standards but confidence at least had returned and a late season win in South Africa kept his record of one win a year going. That confidence has flourished and today going into the final round of the US Open Kaymer has a huge lead in golfing terms. I confidently expect the German to close it out just like in 2012, and re-emerge on the golfing landscape.
In any field not just sport to emerge from the pack and be the best once is a huge achievement. To lose that and have it within you to pull it all together and come out the other side and re-emerge from the pack once more, now that takes huge self confidence and is an even bigger achievement.
This time expect Martin Kaymer to hang around at golf’s top table, he’s back he’s hungry and expect big things from now on. This time Ryder Cup qualification will not be a case of hanging on, he will mix it with Europe’s best. Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose there is one more star in Team Europe
Martin Kaymer is standing at the precipice of sporting greatness for 18 more holes and many are pleased to see him back.
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