Martin Kaymer, Man for Fall Seasons

Birdie man of Shanghai.

MARTIN KAYMER HADN’T WON A golf tournament since January. The German golf star who won four times in 2010 and ascended to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) has been choking on the dust of Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald much of the season.

In Shanghai at the WGC-HSBC Champions, Kaymer played the first 60 holes 11 under par. Then bam—nine birdies on the final 12 holes. He closed out the back nine with a stunning 29 for a final-round 63. Kaymer’s 20-under total was good for a three-shot victory over Fredrik Jacobson.

“It was the first time I have had a run of birdies like that since I shot a 59 on the EPD Tour in Germany in my first year as a professional,” Kaymer told reporters.

Win early, win late. Maybe it’s the Kaymer way. He won in September and October last year. Now he has bagged a huge one in November, his first WGC title and the first ever by a German. He also moved up two spots in the OWGR to No. 4.

Kaymer Notes

• 10th European Tour victory.

• Money total of €2,830,264 in The Race to Dubai.

• More than €2 million in earnings for third consecutive European Tour season.

• Multiple wins on European Tour for fourth consecutive season.

• Final round of 63 (-9) is the lowest final round for a winner in any WGC stroke-play event.

−The Armchair Golfer