Dubai, UAE ... It’s taken double Major-winning Martin Kaymer just one event of the New Year to again realise the enormous worth of Scottish-born caddy Craig ‘Weeman’ Connelly.
The on-again, off-again player/caddy relationship is back on again and with Kaymer posting a final round 65 to share eighth place in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Kaymer had Connelly on the bag when the German won in Abu Dhabi in 2010 and was by his side when Kaymer dramatically captured the 2010 PGA Championship and while they parted later that year, it was Connelly brilliantly calling the shots on route to Kaymer’s stunning 2014 US Open triumph.
There was a third split late in 2018 when Kaymer slumped to a 12-year high of 172nd in the World Rankings.
It’s on-again with double Major-winning Martin Kaymer and Craig ‘WeeMan’ Connelly back on again
The German then dipped to 191st in the world after missing the cut in the 2019 PGA Championship but now at the start of Kaymer’s 14th season on the European Tour and the German/Scottish marriage in back on again, and Kaymer could not be happier.
He said: “It’s great to have the ‘Wee Man’ back on the bag as it made for a really nice week. I said to Craig after the first round that it felt like there was no break between us and I felt back in a comfort zone with Craig back on the bag.
“It’s important I feel in my career now to find that comfort zone especially looking back over the past two to three years of my career. You need people around you that know you and help to keep you in a good place and that is what Craig brings to our relationship.
“We had so much success together and all of the big tournaments I won it was with Craig as my caddy. I know Craig also won big tournaments caddying for Paul Casey but Craig and I shared two Major Championship victories (2010 PGA Championship, 2014 US Open) along with a winning Ryder Cup experiences.”
Kaymer’s strong Abu Dhabi showing saw the German jump 11 spots to No. 116 on the World Rankings.
And with Connelly back by his side, Kaymer reckons he could tick the boxes on four big goals this new season.
Kaymer said: “My first goal is I need to qualify for the Masters. I need to also qualify for The Open. I want to represent Germany at the Olympic Games and I would like to make the European Ryder Cup team.
“Those are the major goals on my radar this year and I would like to use the next month, two months assessing where my game golf is at and how well I can play, and this week has been a great first event example.
“I know exactly what I need to work on and also what I have gained from the stats, as I have gained almost seven shots from tee-to-green but on the greens I lost almost three-and-a-half shots.
“So, I need to work more on my putting and my putting was great on Sunday as I shot seven-under par.
“Abu Dhabi was a good first step towards my four goals. It is very obvious what I need to do and very obvious the events I need to qualify for and where I would like to be competing this year.
“The thing is also my drive and determination that you have at the start of any New Year is much stronger than ever before because I know what I am capable of, and I haven’t been there the last two to three years.
“I know I can get there and it is a matter of having the right people around me, putting in the right time of doing the right thing and having a plan.
“For the last two to three years, I have really been without a plan so part of this plan is having Craig back on the bag along with a few other things, that I would not say are changes but more like adjustments, and that is really got me fully motivated heading into this New Year.”
And with Whistling Straits and the 2010 PGA Championship forever to be linked with Kaymer there’s little wonder he’d love to be a member of Padraig Harrington’s European Team later this year.
Kaymer said: “I want to be in every European Ryder Cup team but then given the Ryder Cup is being played this year at Whistling Straits it is very much an added incentive.
“I noticed when the Ryder Cup was played at Celtic Manner (2010) and Gleneagles (2014) it is a completely different set-up and way of playing the course compared when we have played regular Tour events on the courses.
“I know Whistling Straits will be like that but then going back to any golf course where you have won in the past, and the win being a Major Championship and the start of a Hall of Fame career, is always special.
“It would be just so amazing to be a member of Padraig’s (Harrington) team heading to Whistling Straits later this year.
“I think also that if I was in that team, the American players would have even more respect for me.”
SCOTTISH WORLD RANKINGS – Week 3 of 2020
Robert MacIntyre – 67 (Down 2 spots)
Russell Knox – 113 (Up 2)
Calum Hill – 119 (Down 2)
Richie Ramsay – 222(Up 5)
Scott Jamieson – 236 (Up 62)
Conor Syme – 280 (Down 4)
Ewen Ferguson – 324 (Down 6)
Grant Forrest – 349 (Down 12)
Martin Laird – 360 (Down 11)
David Law – 377 (Down 8)
Stephen Gallacher – 384 (Down 13)
David Drysdale – 420 (Down 8)
