Martin Kaymer holds off Bubba Watson to win PGA Grand Slam of Golf
US Open champion Martin Kaymer sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to beat Bubba Watson in the four-man PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda on Wednesday.
Ten days after a blowout singles win over Watson on the final day of the Ryder Cup, German Kaymer had to work much harder to overcome his American rival for a second time.
He erased a two-stroke deficit in the final two holes of regulation before triumphing in breezy conditions at Port Royal Golf Course in the elite 36-hole event which brings together the winners of the year’s four majors.
It was Martin’s time and not my time
In the sudden-death play-off at the par-four 18th, both players hit nice approach shots, but Kaymer’s finished further from the hole, so he putted first and made no mistake, before Masters champion Watson missed from inside five feet.
“It was quite an advantage that I had the similar putt earlier [in regulation], just a little bit longer, but pretty much the same line and I knew it didn’t break as much as I thought, so that helped me a lot,” Kaymer said.
Watson was incredulous his short birdie putt in the play-off missed, speculating that wind had blown it off course.
“I thought I hit a great putt, stroked it well,” he said. “I’m guessing wind bounce, whatever you want to call it. There’s no way that ball should go that way, unless it’s wind forced. So, it was Martin’s time and not my time.”