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| Kaymer, Leading All the Way, Wins by 8 for His First U.S. Open Title | Kaymer, Leading All the Way, Wins by 8 for His First U.S. Open Title |
| (2 months later) | |
| PINEHURST, N.C. — Martin Kaymer arrived at the first tee Sunday dressed appropriately for a methodical man with a modest, logical plan for the day. | |
| Kaymer chose a white shirt, muted dark gray pants and plain, all-white shoes. It was an outfit that matched his golf bag, which was white and unadorned by a sponsor’s logo, making it a rare piece of unpretentious golf gear that endorsed only its owner. | Kaymer chose a white shirt, muted dark gray pants and plain, all-white shoes. It was an outfit that matched his golf bag, which was white and unadorned by a sponsor’s logo, making it a rare piece of unpretentious golf gear that endorsed only its owner. |
| But the stoic, steady and humble Kaymer used a different strategy to stand out. He let his clubs make a statement at the 2014 United States Open, not his clothes, and certainly not a marketing campaign on his bag. | But the stoic, steady and humble Kaymer used a different strategy to stand out. He let his clubs make a statement at the 2014 United States Open, not his clothes, and certainly not a marketing campaign on his bag. |
| In the opening rounds, Kaymer stormed the Pinehurst No. 2 golf course with record-setting, back to back 65s to stun the field. All of the golfers trailing the surprise leader knew they could not catch him unless he faltered and allowed them to claw at his heels. | In the opening rounds, Kaymer stormed the Pinehurst No. 2 golf course with record-setting, back to back 65s to stun the field. All of the golfers trailing the surprise leader knew they could not catch him unless he faltered and allowed them to claw at his heels. |
| But from there, Kaymer had a simple blueprint for victory. He would keep his competitors at bay with the same systematic but assertively creative play that put him at the top of the leader board. | But from there, Kaymer had a simple blueprint for victory. He would keep his competitors at bay with the same systematic but assertively creative play that put him at the top of the leader board. |
| “I would play my game but never defend the lead,” Kaymer said. “Defending a lead is how you fall back. Feeling free and confident enough to continue to charge and excel is how you win. It’s the only way.” | “I would play my game but never defend the lead,” Kaymer said. “Defending a lead is how you fall back. Feeling free and confident enough to continue to charge and excel is how you win. It’s the only way.” |
| Across four days, tactics, personality and steely purpose combined for a deft performance that allowed Kaymer to distance himself from the field at nearly every important sequence of the tournament. It ended with an authoritative eight-stroke victory as Kaymer, the winner of 2010 P.G.A. Championship, captured his second major title. | Across four days, tactics, personality and steely purpose combined for a deft performance that allowed Kaymer to distance himself from the field at nearly every important sequence of the tournament. It ended with an authoritative eight-stroke victory as Kaymer, the winner of 2010 P.G.A. Championship, captured his second major title. |
| Kaymer’s final-round 69 gave him a tournament total of 271, nine under par. It is the second-best four-round total in United States Open history, behind Rory McIlroy’s score of 268 in 2011. Kaymer is also just the seventh player in 114 years of the event to be the leader after each of the four rounds. | Kaymer’s final-round 69 gave him a tournament total of 271, nine under par. It is the second-best four-round total in United States Open history, behind Rory McIlroy’s score of 268 in 2011. Kaymer is also just the seventh player in 114 years of the event to be the leader after each of the four rounds. |
| Erik Compton and Rickie Fowler tied for second place at 279, one under for the tournament. After days when the refurbished Pinehurst No. 2 course seemed both vulnerable and invincible, Kaymer, Compton and Fowler were the only players under par. Five players tied for fourth at one over 281. | Erik Compton and Rickie Fowler tied for second place at 279, one under for the tournament. After days when the refurbished Pinehurst No. 2 course seemed both vulnerable and invincible, Kaymer, Compton and Fowler were the only players under par. Five players tied for fourth at one over 281. |
| Kaymer, a 29-year-old native of Düsseldorf, is the first German to win the event and the first player to win the United States Open and the Players Championship in the same year. He is also only one of five players to win the United States Open, the P.G.A. and the Players Championship. The others are Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Lee Trevino and Raymond Floyd. | Kaymer, a 29-year-old native of Düsseldorf, is the first German to win the event and the first player to win the United States Open and the Players Championship in the same year. He is also only one of five players to win the United States Open, the P.G.A. and the Players Championship. The others are Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Lee Trevino and Raymond Floyd. |
| “I didn’t make many mistakes at the start of the tournament, and that gave me a very nice cushion for the weekend,” Kaymer said. “Even when I didn’t playing perfectly on Saturday, I kept it together, and I did not play conservative. I was still trying to extend the lead. I did the same today, even though I knew I had that edge.” | “I didn’t make many mistakes at the start of the tournament, and that gave me a very nice cushion for the weekend,” Kaymer said. “Even when I didn’t playing perfectly on Saturday, I kept it together, and I did not play conservative. I was still trying to extend the lead. I did the same today, even though I knew I had that edge.” |
| Kaymer, who was ranked No. 1 in the world for about two months in 2011, won the Players Championship on Mother’s Day in the United States. Now he has won the United States Open on Father’s Day here. | Kaymer, who was ranked No. 1 in the world for about two months in 2011, won the Players Championship on Mother’s Day in the United States. Now he has won the United States Open on Father’s Day here. |
| On Sunday, he said Germany celebrated its Father’s Day earlier in the year. | On Sunday, he said Germany celebrated its Father’s Day earlier in the year. |
| “I did not get him anything for Father’s Day,” Kaymer said of his own father. “Maybe this is his present.” | “I did not get him anything for Father’s Day,” Kaymer said of his own father. “Maybe this is his present.” |
| Kaymer began Sunday with a five-stroke lead, and though the Pinehurst galleries greeted him warmly, they were eager to see a dramatic competition and threw the bulk of their support behind Fowler. | Kaymer began Sunday with a five-stroke lead, and though the Pinehurst galleries greeted him warmly, they were eager to see a dramatic competition and threw the bulk of their support behind Fowler. |
| Kaymer never seemed to waver from the consistent, middle-of-the-fairway style he started with on Thursday and displayed none of the nerves that might be expected on the final day of a major championship. He parred the first two holes, then birdied the third. | Kaymer never seemed to waver from the consistent, middle-of-the-fairway style he started with on Thursday and displayed none of the nerves that might be expected on the final day of a major championship. He parred the first two holes, then birdied the third. |
| Still, at the fourth tee, the grandstand implored Fowler to make a charge. He instead hit an approach shot short and right of the green, and then blasted a pitch shot from a sandy waste area 50 feet over the green. He made a spectacular recovery just to make double bogey. But Fowler’s chances disappeared with that hole as Kaymer made another par. | Still, at the fourth tee, the grandstand implored Fowler to make a charge. He instead hit an approach shot short and right of the green, and then blasted a pitch shot from a sandy waste area 50 feet over the green. He made a spectacular recovery just to make double bogey. But Fowler’s chances disappeared with that hole as Kaymer made another par. |
| Kaymer was also off the green in two but got up and down. | Kaymer was also off the green in two but got up and down. |
| For the next few hours, Fowler’s role was chiefly as a front-row witness to a coronation. | For the next few hours, Fowler’s role was chiefly as a front-row witness to a coronation. |
| “Martin was playing his own golf tournament today,” Fowler said. | “Martin was playing his own golf tournament today,” Fowler said. |
| The attention turned to Compton, who surged to get within four strokes of Kaymer at one point on the back nine. But then Compton made consecutive bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes and shortly thereafter Kaymer made successive birdies on the 13th and 14th. | The attention turned to Compton, who surged to get within four strokes of Kaymer at one point on the back nine. But then Compton made consecutive bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes and shortly thereafter Kaymer made successive birdies on the 13th and 14th. |
| There would be no tense dramatics in the final round. | There would be no tense dramatics in the final round. |
| “No one was catching Kaymer this week, not the way he was playing,” said Compton, who has had two heart transplants and was another fan favorite at Pinehurst. “I congratulate him, but I feel very happy, too. I’ve never gotten this far along in my story.” | “No one was catching Kaymer this week, not the way he was playing,” said Compton, who has had two heart transplants and was another fan favorite at Pinehurst. “I congratulate him, but I feel very happy, too. I’ve never gotten this far along in my story.” |
| Kaymer’s childhood hero in golf was his countryman Bernhard Langer, who won two Masters titles in the 1980s and 1990s. | Kaymer’s childhood hero in golf was his countryman Bernhard Langer, who won two Masters titles in the 1980s and 1990s. |
| “We almost have the German grand slam,” Kaymer said Sunday. “We just need the British Open.” | “We almost have the German grand slam,” Kaymer said Sunday. “We just need the British Open.” |
| It was Langer who was instrumental in Kaymer’s resurrection as a golfer after Kaymer fell from the top-ranked player in the world to 63rd in the rankings in 2014. | It was Langer who was instrumental in Kaymer’s resurrection as a golfer after Kaymer fell from the top-ranked player in the world to 63rd in the rankings in 2014. |
| Langer advised Kaymer to relax his determined ways and be more convivial with other players. | Langer advised Kaymer to relax his determined ways and be more convivial with other players. |
| “He told me that I must stop worrying about my game so much,” Kaymer told a British newspaper. “Because I was getting in my own way.” | “He told me that I must stop worrying about my game so much,” Kaymer told a British newspaper. “Because I was getting in my own way.” |
| Saturday night, on the eve of Sunday’s final round, it was evident Kaymer had taken Langer’s advice. He talked about having recently watched the golf movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” which is rife with themes about the ethos of the game. | Saturday night, on the eve of Sunday’s final round, it was evident Kaymer had taken Langer’s advice. He talked about having recently watched the golf movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” which is rife with themes about the ethos of the game. |
| Kaymer, a humble man who came to the golf course Sunday with a simple, common-sense plan for victory, quoted the protagonist in the film. | Kaymer, a humble man who came to the golf course Sunday with a simple, common-sense plan for victory, quoted the protagonist in the film. |
| “At the end of the day we’re playing a game,” Kaymer said. | “At the end of the day we’re playing a game,” Kaymer said. |
| He added his personal take-away from that message. | He added his personal take-away from that message. |
| “Now I just play,” he said. | “Now I just play,” he said. |