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ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIPOctober 10, 2010Martin KaymerCARNOUSTIE, SCOTLAND SCOTT CROCKETT: Martin, thanks, as always, for coming in and joining us, and many, many congratulations. What a truly fantastic performance that was. Just give us your thoughts on being the Alfred Dunhill Links Champion. MARTIN KAYMER: Well, it was always one of my dreams to win here at St. Andrews. I can still remember my first day I came out here when I was an amateur and walking down the first hole, walking over the bridge, all of those things, they felt very special to me. The last, I think three days ago, I talked to my dad on the phone, and we talked about the British Open that I -- yeah, that I have to do something, or that I have to finish this year better than I did at the British Open this year. So it was very, very special for me to win here today, in the home of golf, and the way I played with my partner together, has been a fantastic week. SCOTT CROCKETT: It was pretty good and pretty spectacular throughout the round but let's talk about that finish, birdie, birdie finish, that was something else. MARTIN KAYMER: To be honest with you, the birdie on 17, if you would have given me the par, I would have given you a lot of money for that. I was never expecting that I would make birdie. That was more luck than I would say skill that I made that putt. My goal was to put it close and make my two putts and get out of there. On 18, I didn't really know how the ball would react, coming from the road. I just wanted to hit it behind the flag, make my two putts and win the tournament. I'll take the birdies, but you know, I think there was a little luck involved. SCOTT CROCKETT: It's a nice habit to get into this winning, PGA Championship, Holland, small matter of The Ryder Cup, and now here. MARTIN KAYMER: Four in a row -- well, three and a half. SCOTT CROCKETT: Can't call The Ryder Cup a half. MARTIN KAYMER: Well, it wasn't my own win. But yeah, four in a row. People ask me, why is it happening; but I'm surprised, as well. Of course, I was never expecting that I can play -- that I can win three tournaments in a row, so I mean, I don't really have an answer for why I am playing so well at the moment. Q. I think that victory takes to you four in the world, a lot of talk about Lee, but the way you're going, you might have your own designs on that No. 1 spot surely. MARTIN KAYMER: Well, I wouldn't say no. Of course, I'm looking forward, or that's one of my goals, to become as good as I can; if it will be No. 4 in the world or if it will be No. 1 in the world one day, I'm fine with that. As long as I give it my very best, it's okay. But at the moment for me, Lee Westwood is the best player in the world. I think I read if he wouldn't have played this week or next week, he would be No. 1 in the world, and that's the truth. For me, he's the No. 1 in the world, and I think the way he played golf last week, that showed that he is right up there. Q. There was a lot of talk this week with Lee not joining the US PGA TOUR and with Rory and Graeme going to spend more time over there, with you being 4 and Westwood 1, do you see yourselves playing more in the States next year? MARTIN KAYMER: I get that question a lot, but I can't answer that question at the moment. For me, the main goal is to win The Race to Dubai this year, and I know I still have a few weeks to decide if I'm going to join the PGA Tour, but I cannot answer that question at the moment. I don't know. Q. How difficult was it to get yourself up for this week after the drama and excitement of last week and The Ryder Cup? It must be very difficult to refocus? MARTIN KAYMER: Not for me. To come here, to come here to St. Andrews, I think the golf course, you owe that golf course 100 per cent of concentration. That's what you have to bring when you want to play golf. Just to come here, for me, it's a privilege to play that golf course. To win here, is beyond. It's fantastic for me. So I didn't really need to motivate myself coming here. Q. Just back to the Lee thing, you're saying that he's definitely world No. 1, is that because of the way he played alongside you last week and being a strong player? MARTIN KAYMER: The way he played with me last week was absolutely amazing. He played so solidly, his putting was good, chipping, the entire game was fantastic. I was expecting him to play very, very well here this week, and I think he did play very well. But he was playing in front of me, so I saw him missing a lot of putts today. But playing-wise, for me, he's the No. 1 in the world. Q. Is that a chance for to you measure yourself playing alongside him? MARTIN KAYMER: It's always nice to play against the best in the world and have that challenge and he's definitely up there, and for me, he was helping me a lot last week the way he talked to me, the way he was -- yeah, especially talking to me after rounds and Monday evening when we had our celebration. I really see him -- I really see him as a role model. He's one of the best golfers we have in Europe, and he's such a great guy and very, very good that we have him on The European Tour. Q. How hard did you celebrate on Monday night? Did you have this tournament in mind or did you go crazy? MARTIN KAYMER: I don't know if I'm allowed to answer that question. (Laughter). Well, I could feel the alcohol the next day. We sank some karaoke, we were dancing, playing some table tennis. We had a fantastic time. It was one of the best parties I ever had. We celebrated with the Americans together. It was a fun night, but it was not too crazy. SCOTT CROCKETT: What did you sing, Martin? MARTIN KAYMER: I don't answer those questions. SCOTT CROCKETT: Okay, fair enough. (Laughter). Q. What time did you get to bed? MARTIN KAYMER: I was in bed -- 2.45, 3.00. Q. How important is your caddie in your success? MARTIN KAYMER: My caddie? I changed my caddie in May. Wentworth was my first tournament with Craig. He was caddying for a long time with Paul Casey and Colin Montgomerie. He's very relaxed on the golf course and a very funny guy. Especially today in the moment on the back nine, he was very good focusing back to where we wanted to be, to be focussed on our own game. He knows that golf course as good as I know it, probably better, but he was a lot of help the last few weeks, or since we started, I have more fun playing golf with him. And he's a big motivation. We just get along very well, and his knowledge is great for me, too, because I know I learn more about my own golf, as well, about -- yeah, strategy on the golf course, being there. So in many, many ways, he's a big help. Q. I was going to ask you, what is so strong about your makeup that's led you to win three Race to Dubai events in a row? MARTIN KAYMER: I don't know. Seriously, I don't know. I just played very solid. My short game -- I always played solid golf and my short game has improved big time the last two years, and especially the last few months, it's been even better. I was just spending so much time on the short game, because everybody here, everybody can hit the ball, everybody. But in the end of the day, you have to make the putts, and you could see that last year, as well, at The Ryder Cup, everybody hits greens, but it's all about the putting, and my putting has been very good this week. Q. Has this changed your schedule at all going into The Race to Dubai? MARTIN KAYMER: No. Q. What are your tournaments up till the final -- MARTIN KAYMER: My next one is Bermuda, the Grand Slam of Golf, which I look forward to go to. Then Valderrama, HSBC, Singapore, Race to Dubai and Tiger's event. Q. And I'm sure it will be warmer in Bermuda than it is here today, you mentioned the HSBC coming up, Tiger will be at that event, it's a chance to measure European golf against the man who will have been the former world No. 1. Where would you assess the strength of Europe following The Ryder Cup and the ascent of yourself and Lee? MARTIN KAYMER: Well, you can see the people, the guys in the Top-50 in the world, they are more and more Europeans the last couple of years. Winning The Ryder Cup, yes, of course, it is amazing, but we knew it before that we had a lot of great players. We didn't need that proof that we are great players in Europe. I mean, we knew it before, if you ever look at the World Rankings, and the last tournaments that we played, Rory winning in America, Graeme McDowell winning the U.S. Open, I got lucky at the PGA there; so, you know, we have great players, and it will be always a great battle against the American. They are young Americans coming up, too. So I just look really forward to the next five, ten years playing against pretty much almost the same guys. SCOTT CROCKETT: Martin, many congratulations. Best of luck the rest of the year. End of FastScripts |
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