World number one
February 27, 2011
After Martin Kaymer dismissed American Bubba Watson in the semi-finals of the World Match Play Championship in Arizona on Saturday, February 26, it became all but official: The 26-year-old from Düsseldorf is the best golfer in the world.
In the new World Golf Rankings, to be published on Monday, Kaymer will take Lee Westwood's place at the top and move yet one rank higher than Tiger Woods - the undisputed world number one over the last decade.
Kaymer told reporters that it was a "proud moment" but was quick to add that - for the time being - he was still number two.
"Lee Westwood is still number one. [...] Well, when the rankings say that I'm the No. 1, then I'm the best player in the world. And if they say so, then that's the truth."
"It was always up and down out there today and really difficult mentally," an even-keel Kaymer said in reference to his matches on Saturday (victories against Watson and the Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez) that put him in the finals against England's Luke Donald.
Regardless if Kaymer loses his match against Donald, he will be ranked number one in the world when the update is published, a distinction which has been attained in the history of German golf only once before.
For a three-week period 25 years ago, German hall-of-famer Bernhard Langer held the top ranking after winning the first of his two Masters titles.
'Lightning fast'
Kaymer has described his ascent to the summit of the golfing world as having transpired "blitzschnell," or lightning fast, since turning professional - and starting on the lowest circuit, the EPD tour - five years ago.
At 26, the unassuming star is the youngest player ever - other than Tiger Woods - to be ranked number one in the world.
Since joining the European Tour in 2007, Kaymer has won a total of nine international tournaments, including one major title, the PGA Championship in 2010. He was also part of Team Europe's victory over the United States at the 2010 Ryder Cup.
He has been honored with numerous distinctions for his accomplishments and was considered by German sports journalists as the country's third best athlete in 2010.
Author: Gabriel Borrud (AP, Reuters)
Editor: Toma Tasovac