When Martin Kaymer won the Abu Dhabi Championship in mid-January, he called his final round 6-under 66, "The nicest round of golf I have ever played on the European Tour.”While he probably wouldn't call yesterday's contentious conclusion to PGA Championship "nice", he did emerge as the winner... of a major championship... and Germany's first potential successor to Bernhard Langer's golf glory.
The baby-faced 25-year-old sealed his spot in the upcoming Ryder Cup with yesterday's win... and undoubtedly added some luster to Germany's bid to host the event in 2018.
Also, with golf now an Olympic Sport, the growth potential of the game... in a country where it's still sometimes thought of as a pastime for wealthy retirees... is likely to be embraced with added enthusiasm.
On a tumultuous day where the lead changed hands half a dozen times and a controversial ruling overshadowed a dramatic finish, Martin Kaymer, an under-the-radar young gun, demonstrated that he was a force to be reckoned with, and probably will be for a long time.
Photo: Ross Kinard, Getty Images
