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From the PGA Tour: Kaymer unleashes fury to capture US Open

In 2000, when he was only 15, Germany’s Martin Kaymer was called upon to make a decision that would forever change his life and golf history

Dale Dhillon (The Jakarta Post)
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Thu, June 19, 2014

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From the PGA Tour: Kaymer unleashes fury to capture US Open

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n 2000, when he was only 15, Germany'€™s Martin Kaymer was called upon to make a decision that would forever change his life and golf history.

'€œMy parents came up to me and told me, '€˜you'€™re going to spend too much time on the golf course and too much time on the soccer field, so you have to decide what you want to do.'€™ ['€¦] I said that I think I like golf more than soccer.'€

Kaymer recalled his fateful decision moments after winning the PGA Championship to claim his first major victory on August 15, 2010. Almost four years later, the 29-year-old German claimed his 2nd major championship in dramatic style at the US Open Championship at Pinehurst #2 golf course in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Players know all too well that you can'€™t win a championship during the opening Thursday and Friday rounds; but they know equally well that you can lose it by being too aggressive and making mistakes.

No one told this to Martin Kaymer, however, as he burst out of the gates with a five-under-par 65 on Thursday to set a course record at the diabolical Pinehurst # 2.

The performance gave him a 3-stroke-lead over Americans Kevin Na and Fran Quinn, Irishman Graeme McDowell and South African Brandon De Jonge, who each finished at two-under-par. Martin kept up his aggressive play in the second round, seeming to be playing a different course than everyone else as he posted another brilliant 65 to clock in at 10-under-par after two rounds. With this two-round score Kaymer set another US Open record with a score of 130 strokes.

By day'€™s end, Kaymer had stretched his lead to six strokes, as no one in the field could match his splendid execution and domination.

When asked about his record after 36 holes, Kaymer said, '€œSomebody has to do it, at some stage. I think that obviously you need to play very solid and you need a little bit of luck here and there, and that has been on my side so far. It'€™s quite nice, I'€™m enjoying it.'€

In 2nd place at four-under-par after two rounds was American Brendan Todd, while Kevin Na and Brendt Snedeker both sat at three-under-par.

The greens of Pinehurst #2 were slick and shaped like the backs of turtles, welcoming of only the most precise shots. In the third round, as the course dried, Martin finally returned to earth, shooting a two-over-par 72 in the brutal conditions. The round included a crucial birdie on the 18th hole. Heading into the final day, Kaymer'€™s cumulative score stood at eight-under-par.

Due to the treacherous conditions, Kaymer'€™s challengers only managed to trim his lead by a single stroke going into Sunday'€™s final round. A new cast of characters emerged to occupy 2nd place at three-under-par, including Americans Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton.

Compton was a crowd favorite, as fans sympathized with the 34-year-old who had already undergone two separate heart transplants due to a medical condition, the first at age 12. Kaymer was asked about the significance of a five-stroke versus a four-stroke lead going into the final round.

'€œOne shot. If you have four shots, five shots, six shots at the end of the day, when you'€™re play a golf course like this, it can go very quickly. So the challenge tomorrow will be to keep going and not to try to defend anything, because if you try to defend then you'€™re not free enough. You don'€™t swing as free,'€ Kaymer said.

Kaymer knew that under Sunday'€™s tough conditions, it was his tournament to lose; someone would have to mount a serious charge and Kaymer would have to falter to give anyone else a chance. During the final round, however, Kaymer continued to play with the mettle that had made him a major champion, avoiding mistakes but staying aggressive.

His play was so stellar on Sunday that by the time he reached the 18th green, he was nine-under-par for the event, and had extended his lead to eight strokes over Fowler and Compton, who had both dropped two strokes and were sitting at one-under-par.

As Kaymer sunk his final par putt into the hole to finish at nine-under, he leaned his head back and raised his arms in victory, as if to thank someone high up in the blue sky.

With the win, he became the only German to ever claim both the US Open and the PGA Championship.

The writer can be reached at dhillond@bellsouth.net

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