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WGC CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2011

Martin Kaymer

MIAMI, FLORIDA

GORDON SIMPSON: Okay, I think we'll just make a start as people make their way in. Martin, very well played today. It's been a long day but a very profitable one. You're lying in second place at the moment and clearly it looks as if you don't want anyone to take that No. 1 ranking from you.
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, there's only one this week who can take it away from me. I played with him. Obviously I'm very happy with my performance so far.
Yesterday was fairly easy to play. You can see the scores. I got off to a really good start, three birdies in a row and another birdie on 5. And today, I kept it together. I could even make a couple more birdies. So obviously I'm very pleased.
GORDON SIMPSON: It was a very tough morning, wasn't it, when you came back. It was cold and very windy, tricky.
MARTIN KAYMER: I wish we could have played a little bit earlier on Thursday. We could have played at least 15 -- 15 to 18 holes. Unfortunately we had to play another seven holes this morning but it was okay.
GORDON SIMPSON: All in all to be probably in the last group tomorrow is exactly where you would want to be at this stage.
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, especially those big events, it's always nice to be in one of the leading groups. It's nice in the afternoon playing one of the last groups, enjoying the people, the spectators, and yeah, I enjoy that.

Q. Some people, they get to the top of the mountain and that was what they have done. They have achieved their goal. You seem to have gotten to No. 1 and now you are playing maybe even better than ever; you're in contention every week. Talk about what it is about you that allows you to do that.
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, especially after the PGA Championship, a lot of people thought that this may be the end of my career, especially in Germany. A few people thought that. For me it was very important that I keep winning.
For me, it is not that -- yeah, of course I'm happy and I'm very satisfied, but it's not the final satisfaction. For me, it's just I enjoy it. I love so much to be in contention every week, and especially tomorrow, and hopefully on Sunday, being in one of the last groups and try to win the tournament. That is what golf is all about, and that is why I practice is so hard; to be in that position as much as possible.

Q. I know the most important thing to you is winning the tournament, but I wonder if you were conscious over the first two days of playing with the No. 2 and No. 3 in the world and wanting to make a point?
MARTIN KAYMER: No, not really to be honest. What I said, I think it was on Tuesday when I came in here, I'm the No. 1 in the world for at least two weeks. Hopefully if I keep playing the way I do, then another week, and then we'll see.
In the end of the day, we are all great players up there. It will change eventually that I might lose the No. 1 spot if I trouble a little and Lee or Graeme or Luke has a fantastic stretch of tournaments, and they might overtake me.
At the moment, it will change a lot, and that is what is I think so great about our sport, and especially the period of time that we are in at the moment; that everybody can overtake everybody at the moment.

Q. So the question really is, you were with the two guys right behind you, were you not trying to say, well, if you want to overtake me, this is what you have to beat?
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, I didn't really think about that. For me, it's important -- it's a huge event here, and it was always one of my goals every year to play the majors and the World Golf Championships as good as possible. That is what I'm trying to do, so it didn't really change anything for me.

Q. Do you know how many shots you beat Lee Westwood by?
MARTIN KAYMER: Eight, yeah. I played with him. (Laughter).

Q. Wondered if you were paying attention?
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, I did.

Q. Thinking back on your round today, how many bad shots would you say you hit; not good shots but actual bad shots.
MARTIN KAYMER: I think I hit more bad shots than good shots. I got lucky on the par 3 that didn't go in the water. No. 8 I hit it a little thin and just went over the water and I made birdie. Was a little unfortunate sometimes but the good thing is my bad shots are still okay. So that helps.

Q. Just to follow up about how you yourself perceive yourself as a golfer; was it the PGA that made you believe that you could be the best player in the world, or, has it been a process? And further, do you think now that you are playing as well as you've ever played?
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, the PGA definitely has changed a lot of things. But I think the most important thing for me was that I could win the weeks after that. Especially Alfred Dunhill which is a huge tournament, and with all of the stress that we had before with The Ryder Cup, it's obviously a very exhausting week. And the way I kept playing golf, it was amazing. I was surprised as well. Yes, I was tired but I was still playing good golf.
I think at the moment, the last -- the PGA was September, and the last six, seven months, I never played that good before, for sure.
GORDON SIMPSON: You came straight back and won in Holland, as well.
MARTIN KAYMER: I won three in a row, or 3 1/2 with The Ryder Cup. Laugh will have.

Q. How important is the No. 1 ranking to you personally?
MARTIN KAYMER: Not that important. I mean, it was important last week. It's nice to be the No. 1 in the world, but now I've been it, and of course, I will try everything to keep it for as long as possible. But if I play well golf and I might drop down to 2,3,4, that's all I can do. I just try to play good tournaments. I don't really worry about the World Rankings. I think you only have to worry if you play bad golf, then you should worry about the World Rankings.

Q. Going back to something you said earlier, it seemed like there were some skeptics about your PGA Championship win. I was wondering what some of them might have been saying in the immediate aftermath before you shut them up with the wins afterwards?
MARTIN KAYMER: What kind of skeptics?

Q. Maybe I misheard, after the PGA, were there still doubters, questioning?
MARTIN KAYMER: A lot of people, they are expecting a lot from me, but they were not expecting that; that I could win a major, and especially in Germany, the expectations are very high. Once you are playing decent golf, then they always expect more and more and more. And then once I reach that top, everybody was surprised. I was surprised, too, and nobody really thought that I can keep up that level. And that's why it was even more important for me to keep winning.

Q. Did the groove change help or hurt your game as far as going to the greens with the wedges?
MARTIN KAYMER: No, I think the good thing is with the TaylorMade wedges that I play now, you can change the faces in there. Every week, I can have new grooves.
So for me, to be honest with you, with that change of the wedges, for me, nothing really has changed.

Q. I wanted to ask you just about your demeanor; do you find yourself to be a relaxed person a calm person.
MARTIN KAYMER: Very, yeah. I mean, off the golf course, I like to do some -- obviously what you all know about the go-kart thing, I like to do those things.
But on the golf course, I like to be as calm as possible and it's not like I have to try at it really. It's just the way I am. I just really like to play golf, and especially the way I play now. It's tough to not enjoy it. If you play good golf, then every week I approach, I feel like I have a chance to win and if it doesn't happen one week, then that's fine. But I know that one day it will come again. And I've done it before. Especially this week again, I've won a big tournament before, so there's nothing really new for me for the next two days.
GORDON SIMPSON: Thanks, Martin.

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