Martin Kaymer’s four stroke victory in the KLM Open strengthened his grip on The Race to Dubai, extending his lead over fellow Major Champion Graeme McDowell to a commanding €498,484.
The German’s first prize of €300,000 in The Netherlands took his earnings for the season to €2,554,400, putting him in a prime position to atone for his disappointment of last year in the Dubai World Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 25-28.
Kaymer also led The Race to Dubai 12 months ago before he suffered a broken foot in a go-karting accident, which resulted in him missing two months of the season just as the inaugural year-long contest was entering its most significant phase.
He returned to action with a month left of the campaign and went on to claim third place behind Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy but, now free from injury and arguably in the form of his life after winning the US PGA Championship and KLM Open back-to-back, Kaymer is eyeing the title of European Number One this time round.
The 25 year old’s victory at the weekend was the fifth in a row – and sixth in the last seven events – by a member of European Ryder Cup Team and it is Kaymer, McDowell and Westwood, three of Colin Montgomerie’s charges, who currently occupy the top three positions in The Race to Dubai.
Like Kaymer last year, Westwood has endured a injury setback in his attempt to defend the Dubai World Championship and his Race to Dubai crown but the World Number Three plans to return to stroke-play action in next month’s Portugal Masters after playing in The Ryder Cup.
During his enforced absence, Kaymer and Irishman McDowell have become the first two players to have earned more than €2million this season, while 17 players have passed the €1million mark.
Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen has moved up one position to sixth place following his share of fourth in the KLM Open, after superb weekend rounds of 66 and 65.
Ryder Cup players Ross Fisher and Francesco Molinari, who finished tied 11th and tied eighth respectively in Holland, have both moved into the all-important top 15, and therefore in line to share the end of season $7,500,000 bonus pool with just ten events remaining.
Further back in The Race to Dubai, Fabrizio Zanotti and Christian Nilsson both bolstered their bid to retain their playing privileges for next season by sharing second place in the KLM Open, as well as giving themselves a chance of qualifying for the season ending Dubai World Championship.
Only the top 60 players will compete at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 25 – 28 and Zanotti moved from 111th to 74th, as he looks to break into that group. Nilsson, who at 138th place prior to the KLM Open was outside the top 115, virtually assured he will retain his card next season by rising to 88th position and the Swede will now also turn his attention to qualifying for the money-spinning season finale.
