Martin Kaymer will receive a hero’s welcome from the galleries at the BMW International Open this week as the German returns to home soil for the first time since his stunning US Open Championship triumph.
Kaymer, who grew up 30 kilometres from this week’s host venue Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof, captured his second Major title two weeks ago courtesy of an imperious display at Pinehurst No. 2, romping to an eight shot victory that confirmed the 29 year old is now back to his very best.
Having taken last week off to rest and recuperate after his emphatic victory, which marked the first time a player from Continental Europe had lifted the US Open trophy, Kaymer will now go in search of a second win in this week’s €2 million event in Cologne.
Six years ago, in his second season on The European Tour, Kaymer served notice of his burgeoning talent by becoming the first German to win his national Open.
The then-23 year old had opened up a six shot lead over Charl Schwartzel entering the final day, but nerves got the better of him as he slumped to a closing round of 75 which allowed Anders Hansen to force a play-off.
However, Kaymer was not to be denied a place in the history books, as he recovered his composure to see off the Dane with a birdie at the first extra hole.
Should he win his 12th European Tour title this week and take home the €330,000 winner’s cheque, Kaymer would overtake Thomas Björn at the top of The Race to Dubai and move into pole position to emulate his achievements of 2010, when he captured the US PGA Championship and ended the season as Europe’s Number One.
However, the man who won the Harry Vardon trophy last year, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, will have high hopes of gate-crashing Kaymer’s homecoming, having finished in a tie for fourth place behind the German at Pinehurst.
Stenson suffered something of an early-season hangover after his astonishing achievements last year, but there are ominous signs that the Swede is rediscovering his form after finishing in the top seven in each of his last four appearances on The European Tour.
The 38 year old from Gothenburg boasts an impressive record in the BMW International Open, having finished inside the top ten in five of his last seven visits to the tournament.
That run includes his victory in 2006, when Stenson emerged triumphant from a high quality play-off with Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington courtesy of an eagle at the first extra hole.
Fellow former champion Danny Willett will also fancy his chances of a repeat success at Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof, having taken the title the last time the tournament was held there two years ago.
The Englishman also arrives in Cologne in fine form, having finished in a tie for third place in last week’s Irish Open.
Willett said: “I’m really looking forward to it for a number of reasons. I’m playing some really nice golf at the minute, I know the course very well and BMW always put on great tournaments. You tend to get great crowds in Germany, especially so this year with Martin having won the US Open, so it’s all set up to be a great week.
“I’ve obviously got very fond memories of my win in Cologne two years ago. I played really well all week, especially in difficult conditions on the last day. I could’ve done without the stress of the play-off, but luckily I eventually managed to get the job done on the fourth extra hole, so that was a relief.
“I’m excited about going back there, because the course would suit me much better than the one in Munich does. The scoring’s not usually as low so you need to really work hard for your birdies, and I enjoy that challenge.”
Mikko Ilonen, the man who beat Willett to the Irish Open title, will bid to win back to back tournaments after his dominant display in Cork.
Other notable names in the field include home favourites Alex Cejka, Max Kieffer and Marcel Siem, plus amateur sensation Dominic Foos, who finished in a tie for 16th place in his only previous European Tour appearance this year at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Popular American John Daly will make his 11th appearance in the tournament, along with his fellow former champions Nick Dougherty, Niclas Fasth and David Horsey.
