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Kaymer sets sights on No 2 ranking

DUBAI — Martin Kaymer wants to crown a career-high campaign on the European Tour by finishing with a flourish in the final round of the Dubai World Championship on Sunday.

The German appears destined to win the Race to Dubai – formerly the European Order of Merit – this afternoon to add another accolade to the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup successes achieved earlier this year.

This latest triumph though will come at a tournament where Kaymer hasn’t produced his best golf and he’s understandably anxious to rectify that on the day of his coronation as the king of Europe.

“It looks as if I have won the Race to Dubai, which is nice, but I want to play well here,” he said after finishing his third round on six-under yesterday (Saturday).

“I will play as aggressive as possible. I cannot lose anything. It looks as if I have won the Race to Dubai, which was my goal coming into this week, so I cannot lose anything. I will go for everything.

“It’s nice to know that I have a good chance tomorrow to lift the trophy. But, it will be more satisfying if I shoot a low round tomorrow – if I shoot something between 66 and 63.

“I think it’s possible. I just need to give myself more chances. I was a lot of times in-between clubs today, so that was the only problem.”

Kaymer is confident then of one last hurrah, even if his chances of outright victory in this competition appear to have been sunk at the 18^th, where a double-bogey tarnished his card.

“It wasn’t a very good day,” Kaymer conceded. “I had to play a little bit defensive and obviously, when you cannot really hit the shot that you want to, once in awhile you miss it as well. It was a weird day and a very disappointing finish.

“That was a huge mistake on 18. I think it put me in a position where I cannot really win the tournament anymore, and Ian (Poulter) is playing fantastic these last few weeks.”

Winning this weekend therefore seems out of the question, yet – with three career objectives accomplished in one season – Kaymer can now broaden his horizons and look to conquer the global game.

“He (world number one Lee Westwood) is playing fantastic golf, so the number one in the world is not really a consideration,” he added.

“But, if I play well and finish in the top five or top three, maybe I can become the number two in the world.”