Martin Kaymer Continues His March Through The Desert
By Les Bailey
Jun 15, 2014; Pinehurst, NC, USA; Martin Kaymer (left) smiles with caddie Craig Connolly (right) while walking to the 18th green during the final round of the 2014 U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst Resort Country Club – #2 Course. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports
Martin Kaymer continued his domination of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Saturday afternoon in the United Arab Emirates. The 30 year-old German hasn’t made a bogey since Thursday, and looks determined to take home a fourth Falcon Trophy. He will go to the first tee in the finale’ on Sunday for a second time with young Belgian, Thomas Pieters who is six back.
Martin Kaymer looks a lot like the guy who ran away with the US Open at Pinehurst last June as he carded a seven under par 67 on Saturday. It was his third round of the week in the 60’s, and his lead going into Sunday is almost insurmountable.
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The three-time winner of this event put five birdies on the board playing the front nine, and looked to be somewhat bored down the stretch. He made his last birdie at the 13th hole, and cruised to the clubhouse with pars.
Kaymer got into a bit of trouble at the tenth hole after a wayward second shot found the desert. He was able to chip in from the bunker to save par. He made a 30 footer at eleven for a birdie. and his last came with a tap in at thirteen.
"“Hopefully it’s going to be enough – I’ve really enjoyed the course.“I’ve had a very solid three days, with only two bogeys in the first round.“I’m a little bit surprised the way I played but the first round showed me I made the right choice taking it a little bit easy over the winter.”"
The two-time major champ told the press that it looks like he made the right decision in taking some time off during the holidays, and that he came to Abu Dhabi refreshed, and ready to play golf again.
The biggest surprise for me this week is 22 year-old Thomas Pieters. The young Belgian lost some ground on Saturday, but was still able to hang onto sole possession of second place, and will play on Sunday with the leader.
Pieters was able to keep up on the front, making the turn at three under for the day, but was only able to manage pars down the stretch until a bogey bit him at the 17th hole. He was got into the clubhouse with a two-under total for the day, and a one-stroke lead over third place.
He will need to pick up the pace on Sunday if he wants to stay ahead of the pack who are largely playing for second place.
Most of the eyes are on Rory McIlroy this week, and most of them saw the same thing everyone else did, and that was, Rory needs to work on his putting game. When you see two birdies and one bogey on a score card filled with pars, the only conclusion that one can draw, is he didn’t make any putts.
If you added that up, you see the same one under par 71 on moving day that Rory saw. It was good for a tie for fifth place with South African, Charl Schwartzel, and France’s Gary Stal.
"“I hit the ball just as well as I did yesterday and gave myself so many chances but I didn’t convert any. I was very wasteful today. It looks like I’m playing for second place tomorrow.“You’re always trying to improve and get better and I’m going to have to do something a bit better on the greens to shoot a good number and finish the tournament off well.”"
The best round of the day was turned in by Victor Dubuisson. The young French super-star fired a bogey-free eight under par 64 on Saturday, and made up 33 spots on the field.
Dubuisson has himself in a position at eleven under par, and a chance to play for second place on Sunday. He is tied with a group for eighth place that includes American, Peter Uihlein, and a pair who turned in seven under par 65’s on Saturday.
Jamie Donaldson from Wales, and South African, Dawie Van Der Walt moved up eighteen spots on the leaderboard.
Last, but not least, Rickie Fowler continues to struggle after his opening round 67. Fowler bested his Friday three over par effort by two strokes on Saturday, but the one over 73 has him occupying the bottom part of the leaderboard.
In his first appearance in Abu Dhabi, Fowler is tied with Scotland’s, David Drysdale for 67th place with a one under par total, nineteen shots back.
It hasn’t been reported whether Rickie is struggling with the time change, or the water in Abu Dhabi, but after that nice opening round, his game has suffered.
The European Tour players are adept at traveling throughout the globe to far-away destinations, and being ready to compete on the golf course. The more he continues to take on the European Tour schedule, the more he will be able to deal with these problems.