Germany’s Martin Kaymer was in sizzling form posting a new Sheshan course record of a 10-under par 62 on day three of the HSBC – Champions event in Shanghai.
The 2010 PGA Champion started his round at level par with scores of 70 and 74 but burst into the clubhouse lead on 10-under par before eventually settling for a share of seventh place and eight shots behind American Dustin Johnson.
His score was just one shot more than a career low of 61 he shot in the 2007 Portugal Masters while he could have very well finished with a 60 given Kaymer only managed to birdie half of the four par 5s.
Kaymer, who didn’t drop a shot in his round, bettered his own share of the course record of a nine under par he set on route to victory in the event two years ago.
As well, his 2011 WGC – HSBC Champions success was the Dusseldorf born golfer’s last European Tour victory though he did capture the 2012 Nedbank Challenge that later this year becomes a fully-fledged Race to Dubai event.
“Well, I made a lot of birdies, which is really nice today,” he said.
“I didn’t really play much different than the last few days. I just made a few putts, a couple unexpected ones and those are the putts you need to shoot if you are to go really low.
“So it was really nice. It was also really enjoyable and actually after six to seven holes, you start to think about it as to how low you can go, because if you hit the ball that well and then yeah, it was 10-under.”
And after going in out in a six under par score of 30 Kaymer admitted he began thinking of the magical score of 59.
“I’ve shot 59 in 2006 before and I thought, there’s a chance, especially after my birdies my 13th, 14th and 15th holes when I went 10 under par,” he said.
“I had three holes to play and I needed three birdies for the 59 but then I thought I hit a good putt on my 16th, and then went for the green at the 17th and had an unlucky lie, and then had another chance on the last.
“But you can’t amke them all but then a 59 was definitely in my thinking. It would have been nice to shoot 59 twice.”
