Watch Kaymer go from strength to strength after sensational year
German has achieved more in one year than many players do in their entire careers – and he’s only 25
ROBERT KARLSSON’S victory at the Dubai World Championship was well deserved by the Swede but came in unusual circumstances that rang a few bells for me.
Karlsson holed his birdie putt to win the second extra hole of a play-off with Ian Poulter after the Englishman had been penalised a shot for dropping his ball on his marker.
Funnily enough, the same thing happened to me one year at the Dunhill Cup. Since it was matchplay, it didn’t cost me a whole tournament, but I know how it feels. It’s unlucky but just one of those things.
CREDIT
In all fairness, that was the end of the tournament and Karlsson was looking likely to win anyway, so I’d rather give credit to him.
He has had a good year – he ended sixth in the Race to Dubai after wining his second title of the year and is up to 16 in the world rankings.
Poulter, meanwhile, has had a fantastic year. The Ryder Cup star almost ended the Race to Dubai with back-to-back tournament wins, having triumphed in Hong Kong earlier this month, and is back up to eighth in the world – one of four Englishmen in the top 10.
HIGHLIGHT
Which brings us on to Martin Kaymer. What can I say about the young German that hasn’t been said already? So many Europeans had a good year – we’ve mentioned a couple of them already – but Kaymer has been sensational.
He has won four titles this season, been part of the Ryder Cup success, finished in the top 10 in three majors and now won the race to Dubai. But the highlight was winning the USPGA, his first major.
He has always shown promise but in the last 12 months has really come to the fore. In one season he’s achieved more than a lot of players do in their entire careers. What a year.
He’s only 25 years old but already so accomplished. He doesn’t have any real weaknesses and has a fantastic demeanour; that’s his biggest asset. He will go from strength to strength.
My season on the Seniors Tour is about to draw to a close too, and I’m in Mauritius at the moment preparing for the final tournament of the year. I haven’t gone through a year on the tour without a title before so it’d be nice to keep that run going with victory in the Mauritius Commercial Bank Open.