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Martin Kaymer: An Open U.S. Open Champion

by Jeff Skinner

us open logo 14Last evening after Martin Kaymer had finished dusting the field at the 114th U.S. Open he made his way into the press tent with the shiny U.S. Open in hand. A slew of media types were treated to a refreshingly honest, insightful and sometimes funny U.S. Open Champion.

Kaymer took his time in crafting his answers but there was no hint of him trying to avoid sharing his most private thoughts with the eager press.

He opened with saying how difficult it is to win an Open. It is very tough right now to reflect on the week. I think I played really, really well on Thursday and Friday and that gave me a really nice cushion. I said to Craig, to my caddie this morning, that this moment will be very, very difficult, probably the toughest round we ever played because of all the expectations that you have on yourself, other people have. I’m sure Craig had the expectations, as well. So it’s very difficult to go through that, playing on a different continent. So to sit here now with the U.S. Open trophy is tough for me to say. I’m very happy. And everything, you know, the people who were here this week, my brother finally is here, when I could win a golf tournament. So, yeah, it’s a very, very nice and very satisfying feeling.kaymer trophy

He dispelled the thought of being a one hit wonder and gave his caddie some credit.

Well, any Major would have been nice, after the PGA. You want to win Majors in your career, but if you can win one more, it means so much more. What I said the other day, that some people, especially when I went through that low, called me the one hit wonder and those things. So it’s quite nice proof, even though I don’t feel like I need to prove a lot of people, but somehow it’s quite satisfying to have two under your belt. And I’m only 29 years old, so I hope I have another few years ahead of me. But the challenge was not to think too much about that trophy, not to think too much about sitting here now, about what you’re going to say. Not too much thinking about how you might celebrate on 18 and those things, you know. It goes through your head, and I’m sure a lot of players feel the same way. Not many talk about it, but it is what it is. We do think about it. We are humans, and we’re not robots. So it was a tough challenge approaching today. A lot of emotions involved, a lot of expectations, and that’s what I said to Craig. Overall, the whole day will be very, very difficult. And him being so relaxed and so positive and open, me being more focused and very strict on things, it was a good combination. And that is what I needed. So without Craig, it would have been a lot more difficult today.

He said his play prior to this year has game kept him under the radar.

Well, I think I deserved to be under the radar because I didn’t play as good as they did. I think the way Rory played the last few years, you know, when he became No. 1 in the world, the way he handled everything around him, off the golf course, I think he did it very well. And Jordan, he’s just a very, very nice person, very nice kid who’s playing very good golf. And hopefully he can move forward and become even better and get more experience, and therefore win golf tournaments. And I hope that he will win Majors, as well. Because, you know, that is what the PGA TOUR, what golf needs, those guys. Nice characters, good personalities that is what we need. And that is what people look up to.

Kaymer acknowledged that he feels pressure, all the players do but he’s honest about it.

Well, the pressure was there from the first tee. I would lie if I wouldn’t have felt pressure or if I wouldn’t have been nervous. Of course you’re nervous when you’re leading a Major championship. You can’t tell me that you are calm. But you already know how the day starts. And the day didn’t start very well for me yesterday. But it was not a bad thing, looking back, how it brought me back a little bit to normality. The first two days, it was not normal to shoot 10-under par, and I thought it can easily happen today again. When you lead such a big tournament with five shots, it’s very, very difficult to keep going. And therefore it was very nice that I could make some solid shots the first five, six holes, and I was 1-under par, so I was in control. And that was the most important thing for me to stay in control of the golf tournament.

He spoke about how exhausting it is to lead a tournament.

It’s very, very exhausting. It’s very tiring because you have to speak a lot. You have to do a lot of interviews. You have to answer a lot of questions. And people bring thoughts into your head. So it’s very difficult to handle all that from the first day on. Sometimes, on moving day, when you move forward and you’re in the lead, then you start answering those questions. But I need to do that at The PLAYERS on Thursday already and this week on Thursday already. So it’s very exhausting. So the main thing is that you always try to stay calm and focus on the main thing. And the main thing is really trying to challenge yourself and play your golf and play against the golf course and not too much against the other players.

One of his keys to winning was using his putter from off, well off the green and he spoke of the options that Pinehurst No. 2 offers the players.

I said to my caddie when we played the practice rounds, I like that you have a lot of options here. You can take a 3-wood or a rescue. You can chip with a lob wedge, gap wedge or you can putt it. Through any experience from the British Open, I’ve always done fairly well to putt off the green. And I think a bad putt like this is still better than a bad chip, especially with the runoffs. When you hit one fat, you are pretty much in the same spot again. If I hit a bad putt, I still have a chance to make pour four. My putting within ten feet this week still good. I thought if I could get it within that 10-, 8-feet circle, I have a very good chance to save par. You don’t really make worse than bogey, and that’s very important, I think, in Majors.

He was asked since Pinehurst is a resort course did he like it and would he come back and pay to play with his buddies and play it.

I hope I can play for free now. I don’t pay if I come here. I would pay for my guests, but I hope I can get for free in here.

The one time he had anything less than a complete and thoughtful answer was when he was asked about why he had instituted a swing change which caused him to loss his golf game.

I’ve answered that question so many times. Honestly, I get tired of it, I’m sorry. But I just want to become a complete player, that’s it.

He admitted that he wasn’t prepared for all the demands of a major champion when he won the ’10 PGA Championship.

kaymer handsFour years ago I didn’t know what’s happening, you know. 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 No. 1 in the world, that added another thing. And it was too much. It was just, you know, to be completely honest, it was very difficult to handle everything and to play good golf. So right now I am okay with talking to you in a very calm, normal, relaxed way, as if we were having a normal conversation. In the past, I always think I have to say something special and something that might be interesting. Now I just talk and it’s a lot more — it’s a lot easier for me.

Kaymer was lauded for his honesty and willingness to share with the press while other players are hesitant to do so.

I just explained. I want to explain that you understand. Otherwise people write something which is not true. And I’d rather take a minute longer to explain it properly what I mean than if you make something up. I like to be in control here.

Kaymer admitted that sinking the final putt at the 2012 Ryder Cup has given him the strength to execute under pressure.

Knowing that you’ve been there before. The PGA Championship was a different scenario, because it was a playoff and I didn’t even think that I will get into the playoff playing 17, 18. But the Ryder Cup in 2012 was huge because I had to. There was no option. I had to deliver at that point. And today, again, I almost made myself to — you have to win. And knowing that I’ve won big tournaments in the past, that other players who were behind me that they haven’t won yet, and that experience gives you a lot of trust and a lot of belief.

While many of us thought it was Kaymer’s putting that made the difference for him this week he didn’t hesitate when asked what aspect of his game helped him win.

My irons. They were very solid. I didn’t hit many bad iron shots. Of course, you hit a couple off line here and there, but I didn’t make many mistakes with the irons. And even the long irons, today, you know, I hit a 2-iron into 16, because I played it fairly defensive, I played it smart. I didn’t want to put myself in any bad position. And that 2-iron was a great high draw. A 2-iron it’s not that easy, but I did it. And those things, they gain, subconsciously a lot of confidence. And the iron play was very, very solid this week.

As Kaymer was warming up for his late tee time the range began to be filled with the LPGA players preparing for their Open. He said he liked the change.

I did like it, though. Some of them are very pretty (laughter). There was actually one girl, I don’t know, unfortunately, I don’t know her name, but she had the putting tool on the putting green. I tried it. I asked her what it is, what’s it for. I didn’t mind. It relaxes the atmosphere a little bit. I’m sure a lot of guys out here enjoyed the view as much as we did. I didn’t mind it.

Kaymer was just as impressive in the press tent as he was on the course. There are many professionals that will speak in clichés and give canned answers just to get the press conference over.

That wasn’t Martin Kaymer. I mean a member of the press actually asked him why he was so honest. Talk about being jaded.

He seems to be ready for all that comes with being the U.S Open Champion. He’s 29 with two major championships entering the prime of his career and a pleasure to listen to.

We’ll be seeing plenty more of Martin Kaymer.

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