Germany’s Martin Kaymer has his sights trained on the title wrested from his grasp by Nick Dougherty of England this week when he returns to his homeland to compete in the BMW International Open at Golfclub München Eichenried.
The 25 year old World Number 11 was bitterly disappointed 12 months ago when he followed a missed cut in the US Open Championship with another frustrating two days in defence of his crown.
The contrast in emotions from the previous year could not have been greater as Kaymer, the first German to claim the trophy in 21 years of trying, did not make the weekend, leaving the field clear for his veteran countryman Bernhard Langer to launch a determined challenge for his first success in the event.
Langer, in second place behind Retief Goosen after three rounds, eventually had to settle for a share of ninth place after Dougherty rampaged through the field with a closing 64 to win by one shot from Rafa Echinique, who closed with an albatross two in a round of 62.
Kaymer, who finished tied eighth behind Graeme McDowell in the US Open at Pebble Beach, said: “To win in your home country is very, very special and there were many reasons why I was so excited and so emotional after becoming the first German to collect that title two years ago.
“Obviously to return and miss the cut and play pretty poorly was not part of the plan. Now my goal is to go there and try to get my title back after the disappointment of missing the cut as defending champion.
“These are five really big weeks for me, which started with the US Open and is followed by playing in front of my home fans in Munich this week then defending the two events I won back to back in France and Scotland before trying to win The Open at St Andrews.
“I didn’t play at all well in Munich last year and I had no idea such a fabulous two weeks was just around the corner. I missed the cuts in the US Open and the BMW International last year whereas this time around I’ve worked harder in the spring to get my game in shape for this long run of big tournaments and I feel much more confident than I did at the same stage in 2009.
“But just look what happened – I followed two missed cuts with two wins last summer, so you can never be certain of anything in golf!”
Another top ten finisher from Pebble Beach, Alex Cejka, will return to his adopted country in top form after sharing eighth place with Kaymer.
Dougherty, who shot four rounds in the sixties to secure his third European Tour title last year, has not fired on all cylinders this season and he currently stands 107th in The Race to Dubai Rankings with earnings of €101,681.
His top performance in 2010 came in Qatar in January, but the Englishman hopes to draw on the good memories of 2009 in Munich to kick start a disappointing season to date.
Langer, who has a number of near misses in the BMW International Open, returns from his all-conquering spell on the US Champions Tour to compete on home turf along with three-time Major Champion Ernie Els, who maintained his excellent season to finish third in the US Open last week.
Els, who moved up to second in The Race to Dubai with €1,647,112, is joined at Golfclub München Eichenried by Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie and a host of his potential team members for The Celtic Manor Resort in October.
