Kaymer ‘Excited’ Just To Be In Contention To End Seven-Year Victory Drought At Austrian Open

5 years ago by Comments Off on Kaymer ‘Excited’ Just To Be In Contention To End Seven-Year Victory Drought At Austrian Open

With two majors and 21 other professional wins on his golfing CV Martin Kaymer is the player to beat with a round to play at the Austrian Open near Vienna.

Kaymer, 36 shares the lead with Spaniard Alejandro Canizares on nine-under par in continuing very cold conditions on the Diamond Country Club course.

Once again, players were rugged-up as though they were competing in October’s Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland and with just 16 of the 73 players who made the cut breaking 70 on golf’s traditional ‘moving day’.

One of those was Kaymer who signed for a three-under par 69 to join Canizares, and who has led for all three rounds, shooting a two-under par 70.

No-one is yet to 10-under par in the event and with 13 players within in five shots of the lead.

Kaymer went close to victory last year at Valderrama and he’s slowly showing the form that made him one of the best players on the golfing globe though it’s been seven long years since the affable German won his last event and that being the 2014 US Open.

Since then he’s had a remarked 31 top-10 finishes with a notable best of third in the 2019 Memorial and fourth in both the 2017 Abu Dhabi Championship and Honda Classic.

“My tee shots were a little bit better today, especially on those two par threes – six and 14 – those are the ones I’ve struggled with. I did a little bit better today, it’s just a visual thing I guess,” said Kaymer.

“It was a bonus on 16 for sure, after a mental mistake at 15 – I don’t what happened there, maybe a little bit too quick – but generally I think I left a lot of shots out there today. I made a silly bogey on 11, a silly bogey on 15 and I missed a couple of good opportunities.

“I think today could have been a really low round, the conditions were very gettable so six under today I thought was a possibility – it’s only three under but it’s a decent result so far.

“Mentally I’m really excited about tomorrow, it really doesn’t matter what happens – if you win or not – it’s just nice to be in that position. Last year I had a couple of chances which I didn’t use. More often as you get into that position I think you get more comfortable and then it’s just a matter of time. After three days I think I’m happy to go out tomorrow and see what happens.

“It’s only April, there are so many tournaments to play, big events coming up, so I don’t think it will make a huge difference – whoever wins it tomorrow will not make the Ryder Cup team.

“It’s just nice for your confidence, for your belief that you can win again. For me it has been a while. We are obviously not there yet but it’s nice to be in that position and I look forward to it”.

 



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