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In a clash of giants, the Parisian side reversed a first-leg loss against their Spanish rival to reach the semifinals in quest for elusive European glory
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Crafty Kaymer Regains Title
ABU DHABI - It all came down to the power of one. Martin Kaymer started with one and ended with one.
But that one was enough for the German to lay his hands on the Falcon Trophy for a second time.
The 25-year-old from Dusseldorf, who missed out on the title by one stroke to Paul Casey last year, held off Ian Poulter to win the European Tour-sanctioned $2.2 million Abu Dhabi Golf Championship organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Sunday.
The Desert Swing, especially Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has most often provided thrilling finishes. And this year was no different.
Poulter missed a birdie chance and went for par, while Kaymer birdie putt on the 18th at the National Course to become the second man after Englishman Paul Casey to win the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship for a second time.
Casey had won it in 2007 and 2009, while Kaymer had landed the spoils in 2008 for the maiden Tour title. Kaymer had finished tied second in 2009.
It was his fifth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 78th European Tour event. It extended his number of consecutive winning years on the European Tour to three, dating back to the 2008 season.
The win also helped him move to second in the Race to Dubai standings with 250,000 euros.
Kaymer, who began with 15-under overnight, carded a bogey-free six-under on the final day for an overall 21-under.
England’s Ian Poulter, who went ahead briefly during the day before staying level with Kaymer at 20-under, going into the final few holes, carded a bogey-free six-under for an overall 20-under.
He had started the day at 14-under but that missed birdie putt on the 18th was what separated him and Kaymer.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who endured a topsy-turvy round before clawing back on the 17th, carded a five-under for an overall 19-under, two shots adrift of Kaymer and one behind Poulter.
Kaymer started the day with two consecutive birdies on the first and second and then birdie putt the sixth and eighth for a four-under on the front nine.
On his return journey, Kaymer ensured it was bogey free like the front nine.
He parred the first four hole and birdied the 14th, before wrapping up the round with the crucial birdie on the 18th, and with it, the championship.
Earlier though, it seemed like Poulter could pull off a rabbit out of the bag. The Englishman reeled three birdies on the trot and another birdie on the sixth for a four-under on the front nine.
He began well on the back nine with birdies on the 11th and 12th which put him ahead of Kaymer. But Kaymer levelled things up with a birdie on the par-4 14th as Poulter failed to birdie putt any of the remaining six holes, despite coming agonisingly close on the par-5 18th. Kaymer made no mistake, birdie putting the 18th.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy had fallen back after a bogey on the par-4 fifth despite birdies on the second and eighth on the front nine. On the return journey, birdied the 10th and 12th and fired a crucial birdie on the 15th to move to shots behind Kaymer and Poulter. He then birdied the par-4 17th to go 19-under and move within sniffing distance as Kaymer and Poulter parred the hole. But he missed a birdie putt and with it his chances and settled for par and third in the championship.
james@khaleejtimes.com
SCORES
267 - Martin Kaymer (GER) 67-67-67-66
268 - Ian Poulter (ENG) 65-70-67-66
269 - Rory McIlroy (NIR) 66-69-67-67
271 - Shane Lowry (IRE) 68-65-71-67
272 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 67-71-68-66
273 - Ariel Canete (ARG) 70-65-74-64;
Rhys Davies (WAL) 66-68-72-67
274 - Anders Hansen (DEN) 69-70-68-67;
Soren Hansen (DEN) 72-67-68-67;
David Horsey (ENG) 73-66-70-65
275 - Peter Hanson (SWE) 66-67-70-72;
Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 66-70-68-71
276 - Sergio Garcia (ESP) 66-67-74-69;
Richard Green (AUS) 70-65-72-69;
Francesco Molinari (ITA) 68-68-72-68;
Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 71-67-72-66;
Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 69-70-67-70;
Anthony Kim (USA) 70-70-68-68
277 - Camilo Villegas (COL) 71-68-69-69;
Chris Wood (ENG) 70-64-70-73
278 - Henrik Stenson (SWE) 70-72-69-67;
Steve Webster (ENG) 68-69-74-67;
Otto Hennie (RSA) 70-67-70-71;
Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 70-69-67-72;
Thomas Aiken (RSA) 67-70-71-70;
Rick Kulacz (AUS) 69-63-73-73
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