• Home
• /
• Sports
• /
• Golf

Kaymer Storms into Lead

Martin Kaymer is lining up to emulate Englishman Paul Casey after the German took sole property of the leaderboard, going into the home stretch.

The 25-year from Dusseldorf could become the second man to win the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship crown twice after Paul Casey did it in 2007 and 2009, if he manages to hold on and put in a good round on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Kaymer, who had a six-shot lead going into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in 2008 to win his maiden Tour crown here, has a one-shot lead over Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Englishman Ian Poulter going into the final round of the $2.2 million Championship on Sunday.

The 2007 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, who was 10-under overnight, fired a five-under 67 for the day for an overall 15-under 201.

Rory McIlroy, the Dubai Desert Classic winner and second in the inaugural Race to Dubai Standings last year, is tied second along with Ian Poulter at 14-under.

The third round was delayed until 9.55 a.m due to fog. As a result, the draw reverted to a two tee start.

Kaymer, who had led the Race to Dubai standings last year before being sidelined after breaking his toes during a go-karting accident which required surgery, fired six birdies and a bogey for a five-under for the day.

Paired with Wales’ Rhys Davies and Ireland’s Shane Lowry and teeing off from the first, Kaymer, who was born in Mettmann, reeled off three birdies on the trot on the first three holes and wrapped up his bogey-free front nine with two consecutive birdies on the eighth and ninth.

His return journey was a cautious one with a birdie and bogey dotting his back nine. He bogeyed the par-4 11th but finished up with a birdie on the par-5 18th.Rory McIlroy, who became the youngest winner of the Dubai Desert Classic at age 19 and 273 days, beating the previous record of David Howell, who was 23 years and 236 days in 1999, had six birdies for a round of five-under 67. Teeing off with Englishmen Ian Poulter and Chris Wood from the first, McIlroy, who was nine-under overnight, started with two consecutive birdies on the par-5 second and par-4 third. He had a birdie on the par-4 fifth and ended his bogey-free front nine with a birdie on the par-4 ninth.

On the back nine, the Ulsterman, who held off England’s Justin Rose by a single stroke to win his first European Tour title when he won the Dubai Desert Classic last year in his 46th European Tour event, birdied the 12th and 18th holes with a bogey on the par-5 10th dotting his return.

Ian Poulter too had six birdies in a round of five-under. He had three consecutive birdies on the second, third and fourth and finished with a birdie on the eighth. He had a bogey on the par-4 fifth. He had two birdies on the bogey-free back nine, with them coming on the 15th and 18th.

Swede Peter Hanson was sole fourth, two shots behind the leader while, Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, Ireland’s Shane Lowry and England’s Chris Wood were tied fifth at 12-under.

james@khaleejtimes.com

• Sports
• Abu Dhabi