Martin Kaymer

1. Early Life and Background

Martin Kaymer's early life was marked by a strong family connection to sports and a significant decision that led him from football to golf, shaping his future career.

Martin Kaymer was born on December 28, 1984, in Düsseldorf, West Germany. His father was a football player from the Bundesliga, and Kaymer himself was actively involved in football, playing for a club's youth team until the age of 15.

1.2. Transition to Golf

Kaymer made the pivotal decision to transition from a potential football career to golf. He explained his choice by stating that "to play football, you need ten teammates, and to succeed, you need a fair bit of luck." This perspective highlighted his preference for a sport where individual performance and control played a more significant role in success. He turned professional at the age of 20 in 2005.

2. Amateur Career

Before turning professional, Martin Kaymer had a successful amateur career, demonstrating his potential with several notable victories and team appearances.

2.1. Amateur Wins

Kaymer's amateur achievements include winning the 2003 Austrian Amateur Open Championship and the 2004 German Amateur Closed Championship. He also represented Germany in various team competitions, including the European Boys' Team Championship in 2001 and 2002, the European Amateur Team Championship in 2003 and 2005, the European Youths' Team Championship in 2004, and the Eisenhower Trophy in 2004. Additionally, he represented the Continent of Europe in the 2004 St Andrews Trophy.

3. Professional Career

Martin Kaymer's professional journey spans multiple golf tours, marked by significant victories, consistent performance, and the achievement of golf's highest individual honor.

3.1. Early Professional Career

Kaymer's initial steps into professional golf saw him quickly rise through the ranks on developmental tours, securing early wins that paved his way to the European Tour.

3.1.1. EPD Tour

Kaymer secured his first professional win as an amateur at the Central German Classic on the third-tier EPD Tour in 2005, shooting a 197 (67-64-66) to finish 19 under par and win by five strokes. In 2006, he played full-time on the EPD Tour from February to August, competing in 14 tournaments and achieving five victories. He finished in the top 10 in all but two events. Kaymer won the Order of Merit on the EPD Tour in 2006, earning 26.66 K EUR. During the Habsburg Classic, he notably shot a round of 59 (13 under par) in the second round.

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Par	4	3	4	5	4	4	4	3	5	36	4	5	3	4	4	4	3	5	4	36	72
Score	4	4	3	4	3	3	4	2	4	31	3	3	2	4	3	3	2	5	3	28	59

3.1.2. Challenge Tour

Following his success on the EPD Tour, Kaymer received an invitation to the Challenge Tour, where he won his first professional event, the Vodafone Challenge, in his native Germany. He played in eight Challenge Tour events from August to October 2006, securing another victory a month later at the Open des Volcans in France. Despite playing in only eight events, he finished 4th on the Order of Merit list, earning 93.32 K EUR. He recorded six top-5 finishes, with his worst being 13th place. His strong performance on the Challenge Tour earned him a European Tour card for the 2007 season.

3.2. European Tour Career

Kaymer's career on the European Tour saw him become one of the tour's most consistent and successful players, culminating in major awards and numerous victories.

3.2.1. Debut and Rookie Season

Kaymer made his debut on the European Tour in 2007 at the UBS Hong Kong Open, initially missing the cut in his first five events. His first cut of the season came at the Singapore Masters, where he tied for 20th place. His performance significantly improved once he began playing in Europe, tying for 15th at the Madeira Island Open and 3rd at the Portuguese Open. He made seven consecutive cuts between March and June, with five top-25 finishes.

Later in the season, he tied for 7th at the Open de France and tied for 2nd at the Scandinavian Masters. At the Portugal Masters in October 2007, Kaymer shot a first-round 61 (11 under par), tying the lowest round of the 2007 European Tour season and setting a new course record at the Oceânico Victoria Clube de Golfe, eventually tying for 7th. He finished 6th at the year-ending Volvo Masters, earning 140.00 K EUR, his largest payout at the time. Kaymer finished the 2007 season with 754.69 K EUR, ranking 41st on the Order of Merit as the highest-ranked rookie, earning him the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award. He was the first German to receive this honor. His five top-10 finishes propelled him into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time, and by November 2007, he surpassed Bernhard Langer to become the highest-ranked German golfer. In November 2007, Kaymer signed with Sportyard, a Swedish sports management company. He represented Germany at the 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup alongside Alex Čejka, where they tied for sixth place.

3.2.2. Major European Tour Victories

Kaymer's continued success on the European Tour included several significant victories and consistent high finishes.

In 2008, Kaymer secured his maiden European Tour event victory with a wire-to-wire win at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. This win elevated him to 34th in the world rankings, making him the only player under 25 in the top 50 at that time. It also granted him entry into the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Masters Tournament. Two weeks later, he finished second at the Dubai Desert Classic, one stroke behind world number one Tiger Woods, moving him to 21st in the world rankings. Kaymer claimed his second victory of 2008 at the BMW International Open, becoming the first German to win the event in its 20-year history. Despite holding a six-stroke lead heading into the final round, he shot a 75 (+3) and entered a playoff with Anders Hansen, which he won with a birdie on the first extra hole. He nearly won his third title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, losing to Robert Karlsson in a three-man playoff. He also finished runner-up at the Volvo Masters, two strokes behind Søren Kjeldsen. Kaymer earned 1.79 M EUR in 2008, finishing 8th on the Order of Merit. He narrowly missed selection for the 2008 Ryder Cup but accepted European captain Nick Faldo's invitation to assist the team in a non-playing capacity. He again represented Germany at the 2008 Omega Mission Hills World Cup with Alex Čejka, finishing fifth.

In 2009, Kaymer nearly defended his Abu Dhabi Golf Championship title, finishing tied for second, one stroke behind Paul Casey. He continued his strong performance in the Middle East with a tie for fourth at the Dubai Desert Classic. In July, Kaymer won his third European Tour event, the Open de France Alstom, defeating Lee Westwood on the first playoff hole. This victory placed him in the top 100 of the European Tour Career Earnings list. The following week, he won the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond Golf Club, his fourth career win, by two strokes. This win propelled him to 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He then achieved his best major finish at the time, tying for 34th at The Open Championship, and improved upon this with a tie for sixth at the PGA Championship. Kaymer suffered a go-kart accident, causing him to miss September and October, but he returned for the final stages of the Race to Dubai, finishing third overall.

3.2.3. 2010 Season Achievements

The 2010 season was a landmark year for Martin Kaymer, highlighted by his first major championship and significant European Tour accolades. In January 2010, Kaymer won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship by one shot over Ian Poulter. After missing the cut at the Masters Tournament, he tied for eighth at the U.S. Open and tied for seventh at The Open Championship.

On August 15, in Wisconsin, Kaymer won the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, securing his first major title. He tied with Bubba Watson at 11 under par after regulation play and defeated Watson in a three-hole aggregate playoff. Kaymer was part of the victorious European Ryder Cup team in 2010, winning both his four-ball matches (partnered with Westwood and Poulter), halving his foursome, and losing his singles match. A week later, he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, finishing three strokes ahead of Danny Willett. This made him the first player since Tiger Woods in 2006 and the first European since Nick Faldo in 1989 to win three successive tournaments in a year. The win elevated him to a career-high third in the Official World Golf Ranking. Kaymer shared the European Tour Golfer of the Year award with Graeme McDowell.

3.2.4. Later European Tour Performances

Kaymer continued to compete on the European Tour in subsequent years, adding more victories and maintaining a strong presence.

In 2011, Kaymer declined a full PGA Tour membership to focus on the European Tour, though he planned to play several U.S. events. In January, he won his third Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship title in four years, which moved him to second in the world rankings, displacing Tiger Woods. After finishing runner-up at the 2011 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, Kaymer overtook Lee Westwood to become the world's number one golfer, making him the second German (after Bernhard Langer) to achieve this. At the time, he was the second youngest to reach world number one after Tiger Woods, a record later surpassed by Rory McIlroy in March 2012. He held the number one ranking for eight weeks before Westwood reclaimed it in April.

In November 2011, Kaymer won his first WGC title at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China. This victory, however, was not counted as a PGA Tour win as Kaymer was not a PGA Tour member at the time. He started the final round five strokes behind Freddie Jacobson but shot a final round 63 (9 under par) to win by three strokes. After six opening pars, he birdied nine of the remaining twelve holes, including four consecutive birdies on the back nine. This marked the biggest comeback win in WGC history and the lowest final round by a WGC winner. Kaymer became the tenth player to win both a major and a WGC event, returning to world number four. After reaching the top ranking, Kaymer decided to change his swing to enable him to move the ball both ways, aiming to better contend at the Masters by shaping a draw. However, he missed the cut at the Masters for the fourth time in 2011 and later admitted that changing his swing for Augusta was a "big mistake," leading to a relatively inconsistent rest of the year.

Kaymer struggled for most of the 2012 season, dropping to 32nd in the world rankings, with only six top-10 finishes and no worldwide victories. Despite this, he won the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the Sunshine Tour in December 2012. The 2013 season was also inconsistent for Kaymer, with no worldwide victories. He decided to join the PGA Tour for the 2013 season.

In January 2015, Kaymer held a six-shot lead after three rounds at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, extending it to ten shots after five holes in the final round. However, he encountered trouble in the bunkers, resulting in a final round 75 and a fall to third place behind Gary Stal and Rory McIlroy. Kaymer expressed shock at the outcome, stating he didn't feel he played badly but was surprised by the result. In September, he held a three-shot lead with nine holes to play at the Open d'Italia but lost in a playoff to Rikard Karlberg.

In June 2019, Kaymer aimed to end a five-year winless streak at the Memorial Tournament, holding a two-stroke lead after three rounds. He doubled his lead early in the final round but faltered on the back nine, including finding water on the 15th at Muirfield Village, ultimately finishing in third place behind Patrick Cantlay.

In the 2020 European Tour season, Kaymer regained form. He held a one-shot lead with two holes remaining at the ISPS Handa UK Championship but a bogey on the par-5 17th at The Belfry cost him a playoff spot, leading to a tie for third place. A week later, he was again in contention at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters but finished solo second behind John Catlin. In October, he tied for fifth place at the Italian Open.

In April 2021, Kaymer tied for the lead after 54 holes at the Austrian Golf Open. A final round 70 saw him finish solo third, three shots short of the playoff between John Catlin and Maximilian Kieffer. In June, he shot a final round 64 to finish second at the BMW International Open, two shots behind Viktor Hovland. In September 2021, Kaymer served as a non-playing vice-captain for Team Europe at the 2021 Ryder Cup.

3.3. PGA Tour Career

Martin Kaymer's PGA Tour career is highlighted by his two major championship victories and a prestigious win at The Players Championship, which significantly impacted his standing in professional golf.

3.3.1. PGA Tour Victories

Kaymer at the 2014 Players Championship.

In May 2014, Kaymer achieved a wire-to-wire victory at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, finishing with a score of 275 (13 under par) for a one-shot win over Jim Furyk. He began the week with a course record-tying 63 in the first round at the Stadium Course of TPC at Sawgrass, joining Fred Couples, Greg Norman, and Roberto Castro. He played his second nine (the front nine) in 29 (7 under par), marking the first time a player shot under 30 through nine holes at The Players. The final round was delayed by bad weather. Kaymer holed a difficult 28 ft par putt on the 17th green to maintain his one-stroke lead and secured the winning putt for par on the 18th in near darkness, avoiding a playoff. He became the fourth European to win this event and the fourth player to win a major, a World Golf Championship, and The Players, joining Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, and Phil Mickelson. Kaymer earned a career-high winner's share of 1.80 M USD and re-entered the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, rising 33 places from 61st to 28th.

In June 2014, Kaymer started the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort with consecutive rounds of 65 (5 under par), setting a U.S. Open record for 36 holes with a total of 130. He finished the tournament at 271 (9 under par), eight strokes ahead of runners-up Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton. This victory made him the first player in history to win The Players Championship and the U.S. Open back-to-back. (Tiger Woods had also held both titles concurrently, winning the U.S. Open in 2000 and The Players in March 2001, though The Players moved to May in 2007.) With this win, Kaymer gained exempt status on the PGA Tour through 2019 and rose to eleventh in the world rankings. He became the first non-British European golfer to win the U.S. Open and one of the few players to win two major championships before age thirty. Kaymer was the fourth player to win The Players and a major in the same calendar year, following Jack Nicklaus (1978), Hal Sutton (1983), and Tiger Woods (2001). In October 2014, Kaymer won the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, an annual 36-hole event featuring the year's four major champions.

3.3.2. PGA Tour Status

In August 2015, after failing to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Kaymer lost his PGA Tour status for the 2015-16 season, having played in 13 events, two fewer than the minimum requirement for PGA Tour membership.

3.4. LIV Golf

In 2022, Martin Kaymer joined the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series, signing on as a team captain for Cleeks GC.

4. Major Championship Victories

Martin Kaymer's career is defined by his two major championship wins, each a testament to his skill and composure under pressure.

4.1. 2010 PGA Championship

Kaymer's first major victory came at the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. He finished regulation play tied at 11 under par with Bubba Watson. In the ensuing three-hole aggregate playoff, Kaymer secured the win, marking a significant milestone in his career and making him the second German, after Bernhard Langer, to win a major championship.

4.2. 2014 U.S. Open

Kaymer's second major championship win was a dominant performance at the 2014 U.S. Open held at Pinehurst Resort's No. 2 course. The course, measuring 7.56 K yd and a par 70, featured long par-4s (four over 500 yd), "turtleback" or "bowl-shaped" greens that sloped away from the center, and uniquely, no rough. Instead, areas off the fairway were sandy with sparse wiregrass and scattered pine needles. Kaymer led from the first round with a score of 65 (5 under par), maintaining his lead through the second round with another 65. Despite increasingly challenging pin positions each day, he held his lead to achieve a wire-to-wire victory, a feat accomplished by only eight players in U.S. Open history since 2011. His final score was 9 under par, winning by an impressive eight strokes. He recorded 16 birdies, the most in the tournament, and had an average of 1.53 putts per hole, ranking third. This was the first U.S. Open victory by a German player and the second-lowest total score for a major winner in tournament history.

5. Other Notable Wins

Beyond his major championships, Martin Kaymer has secured victories in other highly prestigious tournaments, further solidifying his standing in professional golf.

5.1. The Players Championship

In 2014, Martin Kaymer won The Players Championship, often referred to as the "fifth major" due to its prestige and strong field. His wire-to-wire victory at TPC at Sawgrass was highlighted by a course-record-tying 63 in the first round and a clutch 28 ft par putt on the 17th hole in the final round, securing a one-stroke victory. This win made him the fourth European to claim the title and placed him among an elite group of golfers who have won a major, a World Golf Championship, and The Players Championship.

5.2. World Golf Championships

Kaymer's success extended to the World Golf Championships, where he won the 2011 WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China. He started the final round five strokes behind the leader but mounted a remarkable comeback with a 63 (9 under par), birdying nine of the last twelve holes to win by three strokes. This was the largest final-round comeback in WGC history and the lowest final round by a WGC winner, propelling him back into the top echelons of the world rankings.

6. Team Competitions

Martin Kaymer has been a key member of the European team in several significant international golf competitions, contributing to multiple victories.

6.1. Ryder Cup

Kaymer has been a prominent figure in the Ryder Cup, representing Europe in four editions. He was part of the winning European teams in 2010, 2012, and 2014. His most memorable contribution came in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club, where his putt on the 18th hole in his singles match against Steve Stricker secured Europe at least a tie, ensuring they would retain the cup. This crucial moment was part of Europe's historic comeback from a 10-6 deficit at the start of the final day. Kaymer later admitted that the thought of Bernhard Langer's missed putt at the 1991 Ryder Cup briefly crossed his mind before his own clinching putt. In 2021, he served as a non-playing vice-captain for Team Europe.

Ryder Cup points record
2010	2012	2014	2016	Total
2.5	1	2	1	6.5

6.2. World Cup

Kaymer has represented Germany in the World Cup of Golf on multiple occasions. He participated in the event in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2018, playing alongside fellow German golfer Alex Čejka in several of these appearances.

7. Awards and World Rankings

Martin Kaymer's career is marked by several prestigious awards and a significant achievement in the Official World Golf Ranking, reflecting his status as a top-tier golfer.

7.1. Major Awards

Kaymer has received several significant individual accolades throughout his career. In 2007, he was honored with the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award on the European Tour, becoming the first German to win this award. In 2010, following his PGA Championship victory and strong season, he won the Harry Vardon Trophy for topping the Race to Dubai standings and was jointly awarded the European Tour Golfer of the Year alongside Graeme McDowell. He also received the European Tour Players' Player of the Year award in 2010.

7.2. World Number One Ranking

In 2011, Martin Kaymer achieved the pinnacle of individual golf success by reaching the world number one spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. He held this position for eight consecutive weeks. At the time, he was the second youngest player to reach world number one, after Tiger Woods, a distinction later surpassed by Rory McIlroy in March 2012. His ascent to the top ranking underscored his consistent performance and major championship success.