MARTIN Kaymer is hoping he can turn his recent consistency into a long-awaited win at the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The German is a former European and World No. 1 with 11 European Tour wins – including two Major Championships.
But the last of those victories came nearly six years ago at the 2014 US Open Championship.
Kaymer, who lost a play-off in the 2015 Italian Open and surrendered a 10-shot lead in Abu Dhabi earlier that year, said recently he felt he had maybe been lacking focus over the last couple of years.
But after changing his trajectory to gain some length off the tee and working hard on his short game, the hero of Medinah – after holing the putt that won the 2012 Ryder Cup – has started his 2020 campaign with four consecutive top 20s.
The 35-year-old from Düsseldorf feels he is not far from ending his win drought, starting this week in the desert at Education City Golf Club, with this week’s event moving from its long-time home at Doha GC.
Kaymer, who is also happy to have Craig Connelly back on the bag after reuniting with the caddy, with whom he enjoyed his most successful spell, said: “I’ve been playing well.
“I’m working a lot on the short game, trying to get that putter in the right momentum.
“I’m very happy with the way I hit fairways, the way I hit greens, I’m playing very consistently and those top 16 finishes, it would be nice to make a couple more putts to actually have a chance to win.
“We had it already last week in Oman when it was really windy. Here it feels like it is more gusty so that will be very difficult.
“You will have some shots where you will get unlucky. It’s just a matter of accepting the good and the bad breaks and just go with it – there’s not much you can do.
“It’s always different,” Kaymer added. “In a tournament it really matters, to really understand and get to know the golf course in tournament mode – the way you play different holes.
“You’re going to play a bit more aggressive here and there,” added the German ace who has liking for the Desert Swing having won three times in four years, from 2008, at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.”
Kaymer spoke in Oman about his desire to not only win again – and get back in contention in more majors, but also his desire to play in the Olympics in Toyko – as well as earning a place in Padraig Harrington’s Ryder Cup team for Whistling Straits, where he won the 2010 USPGA.
Colsearts confident at Qatar Masters
KAYMER’S Miracle of Medinah team-mate Nicolas Colsaerts ended his seven-year winless run in the autumn at the Open de France, in October.
And after a top 20 in Oman last week, he too is feeling confident in the desert as he prepares for the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Colsaerts said: “Everything kind of falls into place. I think I’ve been playing well since my first round of the year.
“If you look at the results you always want to get a bit more out of your weeks, I probably wasn’t really efficient enough on the greens.
“I thought I had a good chance last week. I had a putt on 13 on Sunday that would have got me two shots off the lead and I was feeling pretty good.
“I went for the win for a long time and thought I had a pretty good sniff so I’m pretty happy about everything.”
•To follow live scoring in the first round of the Qatar Masters, click here.
