Golf News

Kaymer wins PGA after play-off victory against Watson (1st Lead)

By DB Peters Aug 16, 2010, 1:24 GMT

Sheboygan, Wisconsin - Germany's Martin Kaymer on Sunday won the first major of his career when he beat American Bubba Watson in a three-hole play-off to take the 92nd PGA championship.

Both players finished the tournament on the Whistling Straits course in Kohler Wisconsin on an 11-under 277.

Watson, who qualified for the play-off after shooting a four-under 68 in his final round, won the first hole of the play-off when he birdied the hole.

Kaymer, who on Sunday played a two-under 70 and dropped just one shot on the round, came back strongly on the second hole of the play- off as he shot a birdie-two on the par-three 17th, while Watson finished the hole on a three.

Watson, who has the second-highest driving average on the Tour, played his second shot on the long 500-yard par-four 18th hole into the creek to give Kaymer the advantage.

Instead of going for the green with his second shot, Kaymer then laid-up and played his third shot 15 feet from the hole to give him two putts for the championship.

He made no mistake and became the second German after Bernhard Langer to win a major.

There was some controversy at the start of the play-off as Dustin Johnson, who thought he had qualified, was penalized two shots.

The American, who birdied the 17th to move one ahead of Kaymer and Watson with one shot to play, played his tee-shot on the 18th into one of the 1,200 bunkers on the course.

As the bunker was filled with footprints Johnson did not recognize it as such and grounded his club, resulting in a two-stroke penalty.

Johnson, who did not realize that he was playing out of a bunker, then had a five-foot putt which he thought would have given him the championship.

He pulled it just wide, but then had no problems sinking the second putt for what he thought was a one-under par 71, which would have taken him into the play-off.

But after being penalized the two strokes he finished on 73 to take him to nine-under for the tournament and tied fifth-place, which he shared with compatriot Jason Dufner and Australian Steve Elkington.

Johnson said he had no idea that it was a bunker. 'It never once crossed my mind that I was in a sand-trap. I think the only worse thing that could have happened is if I had made the putt. I guess I should have looked at the rule sheet more carefully.

'If it was up to me I would not have made the ruling that it was a bunker, but it is up to the rule committee,' he said.

Rory McIlroy, who had a six-foot putt to qualify for the play-off, but missed it, finished in tied-third place after playing a par 72 on the day.

Like Zach Johnson the young Irish player ended on ten-under for the tournament.

Overnight leader Nick Watney had the worst-possible start as he played a double-bogey six on the par-four first hole.

The 29-year-old, who birdied his first two holes of his previous three rounds found the fairway with his tee-shot, but then duffed his wedge shot to come up well short of the green with his second and then needed a further four shots to get into the hole.

It was a sign of things to come as his free-fall down the leader- board continued with five bogeys and three double-bogeys. He finished the day on nine-over.

Of the early finishers Phil Mickelson had the best round with a five-under 67 that took him to six-under for the tournament and tied 16th at that stage, but far off what he needed to take over the number one ranking from Tiger Woods.

Woods finished the day on 73 to finish on two-under for the tournament and ended tied for 28th.

The world number one, whose last win in a major dates back to the US Open in 2008, birdied three of the first holes. 'I got off to a quick start and boy did I hit the ball so good starting out, but then completely lost it after that. I grinded along.

'I am just going to go home right now and practise and see how that shapes up after that. From here I go home. It is not a quick fix and it is going to take some time and go after it. I don't even know if I am in the next tournament or not, I am so far down.