PINEHURST, N.C. — When Martin Kaymer arrived in Pinehurst this week for the 124th U.S. Open, he was in disbelief.
there are various things.
First, he can’t believe it’s been 10 years since he won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 Golf Club in 2014.
Secondly, it’s hard to believe that he hasn’t won a golf tournament since then.
And third, he can’t believe how difficult golf courses are today. They seem even more dangerous than they were 10 years ago.
Kaymer was in top form on the golfing scene in 2014. He came to Pinehurst that spring after winning The Players Championship and then followed that up with a commanding victory at the U.S. Open, winning by eight strokes.
And then after this magical stretch of golf, something not so odd happened to him: Instead of the wins that would send Kaymer into the stratosphere of his years of dominant dominance, the 39-year-old from Germany effectively disappeared into the witness protection program.
He currently plays for LIV Golf and remains largely unknown.
So this week, Kaymer is doing his best to use that decade-old magic to his advantage. A self-described superstitious guy, he’s not only staying at the same hotel (Carolina Hotel) that he stayed at for the 2014 British Open, he’s even staying in the same room.
“I don’t know if it’ll help,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll hurt. I’m a bit superstitious, after all. Either way, I think it’ll be a really good week.”
Kaymer’s 10-year exemption from the tournament after winning in 2014 ends this week, so this could be his final performance at the U.S. Open.
“The last time I was here was when we won,” Kaymer said. “I live in Germany and it’s not just a place to pop in for a couple of days. Of course, I have good memories here from when I was playing, so [Tuesday] It felt like I left yesterday.”
Sometimes reminiscing can be a healthy and helpful tool. But sometimes it can be distracting or even harmful. Kaymer hopes that reminiscing can be helpful.
Early last week, Kaymer was relaxing in the comfort of his hotel room, watching a 20-minute highlights show from his 2014 victory on the Golf Channel.
“What really stood out to me was how well my putts went inside 10 feet,” he said, “avoiding all those big numbers, double bogeys, triple bogeys, which can happen easily here.”
Kaymer is under no illusions. He knows he is not the same player he used to be.
“Obviously I’m not as good as I was 10 years ago,” he said. “I won the Players Championship. [and] I was in complete control of my game. I think I’m on a very good path now and my mindset is very positive. I’m really looking forward to this challenge.
“If you had asked me that question [about his chances] Three or four months ago I would have been a little scared of this place, but now I have a lot of respect for it and I think I can do well here.
“The great players believe they can play well on a tough golf course. This week, it’s a horrible course and I think 50 percent of the guys out there don’t think they can play well here.”
Kaymer is determined to be part of the remaining 50 percent: those who believe.
“When I played the first four or five holes I was a little overwhelmed,” he admitted during his first practice round this week. “I said to my caddie, ‘Was it that hard 10 years ago?'”
Kaymer is disappointed that he went 10 years without a win and tries not to dwell on the fact that so many riders have passed him in that time.
“I think the biggest challenge is not to compare myself to others,” Kaymer says. “When I see other people doing well and winning competitions, I always think, ‘I wish I could have done it that way.'”
“Comparing yourself to others, comparing your abilities, is the wrong approach. But in our sport, life is so fast. You’re always moving on to the next match, the next tournament, the next week. And everyone forgets about the week before.”
Kaymer’s goal this week is to remember everything he can about 2014 at Pinehurst No. 2 and get all he can out of it.
