QATAR MASTERS:TWENTY-FIVE years after Bernhard Langer headed the first world golf rankings, his fellow German Martin Kaymer is playing down his chances of taking over at the top this week.
Kaymer earned himself the nickname of ‘The Germanator’ after starting his season with a stunning eight-shot win in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago. The 26-year-old could now grab the number one spot from Lee Westwood with a top-two finish at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, but he says: “My goal is to finish in the top 10. I’ve never done that here.”
On his first two visits Kaymer missed the halfway cut, and the last two years he has come 32nd and 31st. Only once in 12 rounds has he broken 70. Compare that to Abu Dhabi, where he has finished first, first, second and first the last four years and is a cumulative 80 under par.
Westwood has far happier memories of the Doha course. He came third last year, behind Robert Karlsson and Alvaro Quiros, and shot a closing 65 for fifth place in 2008. The 37-year-old from Worksop is not reading anything into the fact that he finished a massive 26 strokes behind Kaymer in Abu Dhabi.
“I missed the cut there last year and then was third and second in my next two tournaments,” Westwood said. “I think I’ve shaken off a bit of rust now. This is a demanding test and while I wouldn’t say any of the courses out here are easy I think this is the toughest of the lot. But if you play well it gives you the chance to shoot a low score.”
European golf has waited 18 years to have the top two players in the world, but Kaymer insists that becoming number one is “not that important” to him right now.
“It would be nice to say nobody is better than you in the world whatever you do, but I am 26 and hopefully I have a few more years to achieve that,” he said.
“The motivation is to beat everybody. I know I can’t win every week, but I think I can put myself many times into contention.”
“If I say I want to be number one in the world it would not be my honest answer, and I will just be telling you that because it is what you want to hear me say.
“My goal is what I have said many times before and that is not to become number one right now. For me it’s just important to play tournaments, win those tournaments, and then if I take care of that, then yes I will become number one one day.”
Paul Casey, the winner in Bahrain on Sunday, tees off alongside Kaymer seeking the victory that could take him back to the world number three spot he held before tearing a rib muscle two summers ago.
Steve Stricker, pushed down to seventh in the world by Casey’s success, is making his first Middle East trip and he too could get back to third on the rankings by lifting the title.
“It’s great to see Americans coming over,” commented Westwood.
“I think it shows where the European Tour is at right now.”
Five Irish men – in-form Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey and Paul McGinley – are competing.
The Lowdown
Course:Doha Golf Club, Doha, Qatar
Prize money:€1.82m (€303,113 to winner)
Length:7,388 yards Par: 72 Field: 132
Course records – 72 holes: 268 Paul Lawrie (1999), Adam Scott (2008); 18 holes: 61 Adam Scott (2008)
Where to watch:Live on Sky Sports from 7am today
Time difference:Doha is three hours ahead of Ireland
Course overview:Doha GC has been dominated by big-hitters in recent years with Adam Scott (twice), Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Alvaro Quiros and Robert Karlsson all employing aggressive driving to succeed in the desert.
However, when strong winds are present - which is often the case in this exposed course - the more cautious controlled golfers have tended to impress. Three of the four par-fives are lengthy and without wind assistance the players will struggle to get up in two.
Weather forecast: Strong winds are in store, particularly today, tomorrow and Saturday and officials are likely to slow the greens to allow balls come to rest on the exposed putting surfaces. A clear but cool four days are expected.
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