Kaymer: Holing the winning putt at Medinah bigger than majors
Even if he adds two more majors to the two he’s won already, the highlight of Martin Kaymer’s career will always be the day he stepped up to the plate for Europe in the 2012 Ryder Cup.
“One hundred per cent,” replied the German to being asked if being the man that holed the decisive putt at Medinah was the achieve- ment hailed by golf fans around the world more than him being a US Open and US PGA champion.
“There’s nothing bigger than the Ryder Cup. The majors, it’s kind of like a selfish win. I won them for myself, for my career, for my caddie. But the Ryder Cup putt includes hundreds of people.
“It’s almost like in football or in soccer where, for some people, that is almost like a religion. I was very glad that I got that gift in 2012 to have the opportunity to make something amazing happen in my career that will never happen again. There’s nothing to compare it with, not the US Open, not with any other major.”
Both Kaymer and Chris Wood have Scottish caddies on their bags this week in Craig Connolly and Mark Crane respectively, the latter having praised heaped on him by Wood as the Bristol player prepares to make his debut. “He’s pretty level-headed and great for me on the golf course,” said Wood of the Prestwick man. “A great example would be when I wanted to hit a 6-iron on the last at Wentworth (where Wood won the BMW PGA Championship in May) over the water and I’ve got a oneshot lead into a par-5. He said: ‘No, we’re going to hit sand wedge.’ He’s a great asset to me.”