Martin Kaymer a ‘better equipped’ major champion following US Open win
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Version 0 of 1. Now for the next question – can Martin Kaymer handle being a major champion better the second time around than the first? was tipped for golfing greatness after winning the 2010 USPGA Championship. He reached No1 in the world not long after that. Instead of that scenario providing a platform, Kaymer endured a series of on-course struggles until this year. The 29-year-old later admitted to problems dealing with expectation and pressure. Last month’s Players Championship success by Kaymer was bettered by his eight-shot success at the US Open on Sunday. He is now better equipped, says his caddie Craig Connelly, for further achievement. “He’s definitely a more complete player now,” said Connelly. “He has all the shots, and there isn’t one that he isn’t prepared to hit. His short game is improving every week. He is four years older too and more mature. “He has got the game to do well anywhere. He was hitting his drivers really low at the Players because it got windy and he said: ‘that’s the shot I want for the Open this year’. He was already thinking ahead to Hoylake back then.” Kaymer couldn’t avoid a glance back towards tougher times after his Pinehurst victory. “Four years ago I didn’t know what was happening,” he said. “I was surprised. I was not expecting myself to win a major at 25. I was surprised about my performance. I was surprised about a lot of things. “I couldn’t handle a lot of things that happened in Germany, all the attention that I could get. And then becoming No1 in the world, that added another thing and it was too much. To be completely honest, it was very difficult to handle everything and to play good golf.” Connelly revealed Kaymer received a US Open pep talk from Bernhard Langer, Germany’s most successful golfer of all time. Like Kaymer, Langer has two majors titles to his name but both are from the Masters. “They had a chat on Sunday morning,” Connelly he added. “Bernhard said to Martin: ‘Let’s get closer to winning that German grand slam.’ He has done that.” Royal Portrush Golf Club, meanwhile, will take the formal process later this summer of asking their members to agree to the hosting of the Open Championship. One of the worst kept secrets in sport was confirmed , with the Royal & Ancient confirming it wants to add the Northern Ireland links to the Open rota once again, preferably from 2019. A Portrush extraordinary general meeting will he held to ratify the move. Simon Rankin, the captain of Royal Portrush said: “I am sure our members will be delighted to see the Open being played here once again. “It will be of great benefit to the club and Northern Ireland as a whole to have the game’s greatest championship played here. This is a great day in the celebrated history of Irish golf.” |