Classy Kaymer leads in Abu Dhabi
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2008 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship | Round One | 18 Jan 2008
Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who is into his second season on the European Tour, added further confirmation of his prodigious talents by taking the first round lead at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Kaymer’s round of 6 under par 66 has him one ahead of Henrik Stenson and two ahead of the leading world ranked player in the field, Adam Scott and Robert Karlsson.
The 23-year-old Kaymer played the European Tour for the first time in 2007 after a brilliant season on the 2006 Challenge Tour where he finished 4th. He finished 41st on the European Tour Order of Merit last year and was named Rookie of the Year in a season, which included a runner up finish at the Scandinavian Masters and a very impressive 6th place finish at the season ending Volvo Masters. Many consider him a future star of the European Tour and perhaps the next Bernhard Langer.
Stenson has often played well in this part of the world and his opening round of 66 has him well placed to do so again this week. After starting the season with a very ordinary week in Hawaii he appears to have benefited from that outing and is a genuine chance to add to his previous wins in Qatar and Dubai.
Adam Scott chose this event instead of the Mercedes-Benz Championship as his season opener and the extra two weeks break have obviously done him good. His opening round of 68 came after an opening bogey and although this is the first time he has played in the Middle East for several years, he is well placed to add another victory in this region following his runaway win at the Qatar Masters in 2002.
Joint pre tournament favourite, Padraig Harrington, recorded an opening round of even par 72 and is in 38th position.
The next best Australian after Scott was Scott Strange with a round of 72, Paul Sheehan had 73 while Richard Green opened with 75.
