Bernhard Langer believes Martin Kaymer’s US PGA Championship victory could have an even more profound effect on German golf than his own Masters double, which itself inspired a generation that included Europe’s latest Major Champion.
Langer was among the scores of well wishers to congratulate Kaymer in the wake his magnificent victory at Whistling Straits at the weekend as the 25 year old joined him as the only other German to claim one of golf’s four Majors.
For good measure, Germany’s biggest-selling daily newspaper, Bild, carried a golf story on its front page for the first time, proclaiming that ‘our new sports superstar’ had been born.
Kaymer’s ascent in the golfing world was likened to the rise of such iconic names as Boris Becker and Steffi Graf in tennis and Michael Schumacher in Formula 1. Suddenly, Kaymer is big news in his homeland and can expect a hero’s welcome to a country which struggled to embrace Langer’s breakthrough Masters victory a quarter of a century ago.
With their country bidding to host The 2018 Ryder Cup, Kaymer’s victory has kept German golf firmly in the public spotlight, coming just a fortnight after Langer captured back-to-back Senior Major Championships at The Senior Open Championship presented b y MasterCard and the US Senior Open.
“Golf has been growing in Germany ever since the 1980s and still is and Martin came along at just the right time,” said Langer. “Hopefully his victory will continue that trend and also add a little more.
“When I left the regular Tour about three years ago that’s when Martin came along and took over as the role model. He has been the leading player in Germany ever since and I think he will go from strength to strength.”
It might have taken 17 years for another German to join Langer, the 1985 and 1993 Masters Tournament winner, in the exclusive club of Major Champions but the manner in which Kaymer captured the Wanamaker Trophy has given the former Ryder Cup Captain cause to believe that further glory awaits his country’s new star.
“I called Martin after his win and I was pulling for him,” he said. “I left a message for him on his phone to congratulate him and I thought he did extremely well.
“I’m pleased he finally made the breakthrough because a lot of people had high expectations for him. The Americans don’t know him that well but in Europe he has been one of our young stars for a couple of years.”
Kaymer’s calm decision to lay-up from the rough on the third extra hole after Bubba Watson found the water has drawn comparisons with Langer, who also sensibly played it safe on Carnoustie’s notorious 18th last month as he took a two shot lead to the 72nd hole of The Senior Open Championship.
“The way he played the last was perfect,” said Langer. “Obviously it would have been better to drive it on to the fairway but he had a horrible lie so he had to lay-up.
“I don’t think he could even have got it over the water so the question was should he lay up short or go down the left side? I think he played it very well.
“He had to play for a five - and maybe get a four - because it looked like Bubba was going to have difficulty making a five. I was also very proud of him for the way he made the putt on the 72nd hole and also the putt he made on the 17th in the play-off. Those were clutch putts under the circumstances.”
Langer, meanwhile, is attempting to win his third consecutive Senior Major Championship at this week’s JELD-WEN Tradition.
