Martin Kaymer wins KLM Open

Martin Kaymer made a triumphant return to the European Tour following his USPGA Championship victory by recording an impressive win in the KLM Open at Hiversumsche Golf Club in Holland.

Martin Kaymer

Martin Kaymer made a triumphant return to the European Tour following his USPGA Championship victory by recording an impressive win in the KLM Open at Hiversumsche Golf Club in Holland.

The German carried a one-shot lead into the final round over Christian Nilsson of Sweden and Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti. But the 25-year-old quickly stamped his authority over his playing partners when he birdied the second hole to open a three shot advantage.

From that point on Kaymer was in total control and he found 17 of 18 greens in regulation en-route to a four-under-par round of 66. It was a fifth successive victory on the European Tour by a member of the 2010 Ryder Cup team.

"It was my goal to play well here, but I was not expecting to win again. It's a nice feeling," said Kaymer. "I felt very strong and I was very patient."

Nilsson and Zanotti finished tied in second place with four men a further shot behind. With and excellent final round of 64, Spain's Jose Manuel Lara moved up the leaderboard to join countryman Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, David Horsey and Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen in a tie for fourth place. Oosthuizen closed with a superb 65.

With the win, Kaymer has extended his lead at the top of the Race to Dubai standings. He's now some €800,000 clear of second placed Graeme McDowell.

KLM Open Hilversumsche Golf Club, Holland September 9-12, purse €1,800,000, par 70

1   Martin Kaymer (Ger)   67   67   66   66   266   €300,000 T2   Christian Nilsson (Swe)   68   65   68   69   270   €156,340 T2   Fabrizio Zanotti (Par)   68   68   65   69   270   €156,340 T4   Gonzalo Fdz-Castano (Esp) 66 69   67   69   271   €70,830 T4   David Horsey (Eng)   67   67   69   68   271   €73,830 T4   Jose Manuel Lara (Esp)   67   68   71   64   271   €73,830 T4   Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)   73   67   66   65   271   €73,830 T8   Felipe Aguilar (Chi)   69   69   68   66   272   €40,440 T8   Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)   62   70   70   70   272   €40,440 T8   Francesco Molinari (Ita) 68   71   67   66   272   €40,440

Note: Player in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?