Unrelenting Kaymer charges eight shots clear

Sport360 staff 07:53 14/06/2014
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  • Playing at a different level: Martin Kaymer made it look easy at Pinehurst No2 even as the rest of the field suffered.

    Ryder Cup hero Martin Kaymer evoked memories of Rory McIlroy’s runaway victory in 2011 as he continued his remarkable domination of the 114th US Open.

    Kaymer said after his opening 65 – the lowest score ever in the US Open at Pinehurst – that no-one should expect him to do it again, but that was precisely what he did to set another record.

    The 29-year-old’s halfway total of 130 eclipsed the previous championship best of 131 set by McIlroy at Congressional, although the Northern Irishman was 11-under and Kaymer ‘only’ 10-under after 11 birdies and just one bogey over the first two days.

    No player in major golf history had ever gone as low as 65 in each of the first two rounds.

    “Somebody has to do it at one stage,” Kaymer said. “You need to play very solid and you need a little bit of luck here or there.”

    The only other players to score 130 in the first two rounds of a major event were England’s Nick Faldo and American Brandt Snedeker, who each opened on 66 and followed with 64 at the Open Championship, Faldo in 1992 at Muirfield and Snedeker at Lytham in 2012.

    “It’s just very satisfying,” Kaymer said. “The way I worked my way around the course, I hit some smart shots and didn’t play too aggressive. I didn’t make many mistakes.”

    McIlroy’s halfway lead of six shots three years ago equalled the record set by Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach in 2000 – Kaymer was eight ahead of Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge and American trio Keegan Bradley, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka as the afternoon starters headed onto the course

    .“It’s not a done deal,” insisted Kaymer, who joined McIlroy as the only players to get to double digits under par in the first two rounds. “You don’t approach Saturday and Sunday in a relaxed way.

    “It’s never a time when you can relax, unless it’s Sunday afternoon and you are raising the trophy. There’s never a time you can take it easy, you have to set your own goals and keep playing well.”

    Looking to become the first person to win the Players Championship and US Open in the same year, Kaymer played down concerns over the strapping on his left wrist, adding: “It’s just (down to) a lot of practice and golf the last few months but it’s no problem… I’m feeling good.

    “I played very solid again, did not make a bogey which was nice. I struggled a bit the last few holes but kept it together well.”

    Kaymer had covered the back nine in 31 on Thursday and quickly demonstrated his liking for it yesterday, making light of the 627-yard par-five 10th – his opening hole – by holing from six feet for birdie.

    The former world No1 missed from 12 feet for birdie on the 12th but quickly made amends, holing from twice the distance on the next. 

    Another birdie from 25 feet on the 16th took him to eightunder after just 25 holes. The tee on the par-four third had been moved forward to bring the green into range and Kaymer took full advantage, driving the green from 315 yards and two-putting for his fourth birdie of the day.

    Another soon followed on the fifth and despite a number of mishit iron shots on the closing stretch, Kaymer kept a bogey off his card.

    Speaking after his second consecutive 69, Johnson said: “I would have taken it on Wednesday. And no, I wouldn’t have thought it would be eight shots behind.”

    Koepka, who won three times on the Challenge Tour last year to secure automatic promotion to the European Tour, said: “Martin seems to be playing a different golf course, 10 under is incredible.”

    World No1 Adam Scott carded a 67 – the lowest score of the week without Kaymer – to get back to level for the tournament.

    But Masters champion Bubba Watson looked set to miss the weekend at six-over par.

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