Kaymer storms to victory

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Germany’s Martin Kaymer shot a flawless final-round 63 to win the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai on Sunday.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer staged a dramatic comeback by firing a flawless nine-under-par 63 to win the WGC-HSBC Champions on Sunday.

Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson, who held the overnight lead, closed with a 71 to take second place while Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell carded a 67 to take third place.

South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel signed off with a 65 to take a share of fourth place alongside England’s Paul Casey and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy on 273 total.

Kaymer, who started the day five shots behind Jacobson of Sweden, stunned his closest rivals with a winning total of 20-under-par 268 at the Sheshan International Golf Club.

The German’s five-shot final round winning comeback was the largest in any WGC stroke play event and also lifted him up to fourth place on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Kaymer’s spectacular birdie run started on the par-four seventh before he added his second on the eighth hole to turn in 34.

He then began to blaze the course with five birdies in six holes in his inward-nine before storming home to take his first WGC title with two closing birdies on the 17th and 18th holes.

“It started off a little slow. But then I holed a bunker shot on the seventh for birdie and pretty much since then, I didn’t miss a lot of golf shots,” said Kaymer.

“I felt very comfortable with my putts today and I hit a lot of good irons. My putts were also not very difficult as most of them were quite short, apart from the one on the 17th,” added Kaymer.

With his first WGC victory in the bag, Kaymer is gunning for more success since he rose to world number one for the first time in his career in February this year.

“This win has put me in a very nice position. I’ve won a Major (PGA Championship) last year and now I’ve won a World Golf Championships. I’m going to try to put my name on all of the big events in the world,” said Kaymer

Jacobson, who led after the second and third round, was denied his fifth professional win after being let down by his putting and Kaymer’s clinical performance.

“I was happy with the chances I gave myself out there, and I wish I could have made maybe a couple of more putts along the way to really get a little bit of a cushion and put a little bit more pressure on Martin coming down the stretch,” said Jacobson.

While the Swede marked his card with four birdies, his three bogeys on the first, eight and 17th holes ended all hopes of a grandstand finish.

“It is what it is. I gave it my everything, and overall it was a great week,” said the Swede.

McDowell, who posted a flawless 67, tipped his hat to the newly crowned WGC-HSBC champion and lavished high praises for the German.

“If Martin Kaymer had not skipped the last couple of holes, we might all have had a chance. He’s an unbelievable frontrunner; when he gets a sniff of a win,” said McDowell.

“He’s pretty prolific and very clinical when it comes to finishing. Hats off to him as he’s a classy player and was impossible to catch out there today,” added McDowell.

China’s Zhang Xin-jun emerged as the leading Asian and also the best Chinese finisher in the tournament’s history after closing with a 72 to take a share of 13th place alongside England’s Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.

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