Kaymer poised to become number one

Germany’s Martin Kaymer will bid this week to complete his incredible journey from rookie to world number one.

SOTOGRANDE: Germany’s Martin Kaymer will bid this week to complete his incredible journey from the European Tour’s leading rookie to world number one in just three years.

Kaymer, 25, needs to finish in the top two at the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama to deny Briton Lee Westwood the honour of being on top of the world. In 2007, a sixth-place finish in the elite Volvo Masters at the same course enabled Kaymer to clinch the tour’s rookie award and launch his career in spectacular fashion. The US PGA champion’s head-spinning climb to third in the rankings has made him one of the hottest properties in golf.

Kaymer, who also has a healthy lead in Europe’s Race to Dubai money-list, is taking his success calmly.”Things have changed unbelievably for me this year, everything has been positive,” said Kaymer.

“I’ve put the work in over the last three, four years but everything has paid off very very fast it’s true. I wasn’t expecting it but I’ll take it.”

But even if Kaymer finishes outside the top two, Tiger Woods will still lose his status as world number one after a record 281-week reign. Then, it would be world number two Westwood, who will take his place despite the 37-year-old Englishman continuing his recuperation from a calf injury.

“He’s had a lot of trouble these last few months and I’m pretty sure if he hadn’t he’d be number one by now,” Kaymer said of his Ryder Cup teammate.

“We’ve both played fantastic golf this year. Who deserves to be number one more? It’s difficult to say.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2010.