Kaymer wins U.S. Open, captures second major

PINEHURST, N.C. - When Martin Kaymer won his first major, the story wasn't totally about him. That's what happens when somebody grounds a club in the sand on the last hole of regulation to penalize himself out of what became a two-man playoff. See: Dustin Johnson.

That was almost 4 years ago. And the way Kaymer's career had trended down, some wondered if he'd ever win another of the only four tournaments that truly elevate resumes.

That's also been known to happen in this fickle, silly game.

This time, the week belonged to him alone, from the moment he opened the 114th U.S. Open with a 5-under-par 65 at restored Pinehurst No. 2 and then carded the same score in Round 2.

Nobody had ever posted a lower 36-hole total in any major.

The 29-year-old German, a one-time world No. 1, led by three at the end of 18 holes, six after 36 and five through 54. Only Greg Norman could have screwed yesterday up.

Last month, Kaymer led all the way at the near-major Players Championship. But he had to hold on at the end, following a late weather delay, to get his first victory since 2011.

This time, he closed with a 69. He could have shot 76. He never came back, and nobody in the posse made a move. Everyone else was playing for Mr. Congeniality.

"It's interesting to see how in control Martin is of his game," said Phil Mickelson, who didn't finish runner-up for the seventh time. "It's impressive."

Kaymer finished at 9-under 271, eight ahead of playing partner Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton, who both had a 72. Fowler's best previous finish in a major was a fifth at the 2011 British Open and again in April at the Masters. Compton was playing in his second major. But that's not the point. The 34-year-old is 6 years removed from his second heart transplant. So, in most ways, he won, too.

Still, as Fowler put it: "[Kaymer] was playing his own golf tournament."

Kaymer becomes the 10th player to go wire-to-wire (including ties) in this major, and first in 13 years. And the first to win the Players and our national championship in the same year. Also the first to win on Mother's Day and Father's Day since Tom Kite in 1992.

"Our Father's Day was a couple of weeks ago in Germany," said Kaymer, who sank the winning putt at the 2012 Ryder Cup to complete Europe's impossible Sunday comeback. "I didn't get my father anything that day. Hopefully this works."

The ratings for the Women's U.S. Open, which tees off here on Thursday, might be higher. That's hardly Kaymer's problem. The 2010 PGA champion has another big-time trophy. Lots of guys have one. There's a difference. The good Tiger Woods could have been here and it wouldn't have mattered.

"It's a lot of pressure," Kaymer said, when asked what it's like to play from in front. "I know [Sunday] was going to be difficult. But overall, it was a very nice week. Very nice day.

"I didn't make many mistakes. I had a very nice cushion for the weekend."

Non-Americans, by the way, have won seven of the last 10 years. They won seven in the 72 before that. And Europeans have won two straight and four of the last five, after going 4 decades without one.

Five tied for third: Keegan Bradley (67), the 2011 PGA champ; Jason Day (68); world No. 2 Henrik Stenson (73); Brooks Koepka (71); and Johnson (73), whose rule violation caused the controversy at the 2010 PGA that stole much of the headlines.

Not this time.

Kaymer becomes the first from his country to win two different majors. The player he grew up idolizing, Bernhard Langer, won the Masters in 1985 and 1993. He was 28 when he got his first green jacket.

"We have almost a German grand slam," said Kaymer, who was ranked 63rd in April. "Almost. It's only a British Open missing.

"I hope it will make Bernhard proud. I'm sure it will make all Germany proud. To shoot 1-over par in Pinehurst on Saturday and Sunday is good, the way I kept it together [on Saturday, shooting a 72]."

Going 65-65 on Thursday and Friday wasn't bad, either. Maybe it's not the World Cup, but it's got to be way up there.

"I was deserved [to be] under the radar," said Kaymer, who struggled after going through the obligatory swing changes that many first-time major winners, for whatever reason, seem to think is necessary. "I look forward to competing against [the best]. For me, that hasn't changed.

"It's who has the strength. The pressure was there, from the first tee. And the expectations. Of course there's nerves when you're leading a major championship. You can't tell me you're calm. The challenge was not to think too much about the trophy. [Saturday] didn't start well for me. That can easily happen today again. The first 2 days was not normal. It's difficult to keep it going . . . I was in control. That's the most important thing for me."

And, for everyone else, the most discouraging.

"Any major would have been nice after the PGA," Kaymer allowed. "If you can win one more, it means so much more. Some people, especially when I went through that low, called me a one-hit wonder and those things. It's nice proof, even though I don't feel I need to prove a lot.

"But somehow it's quite satisfying to have two under your belt. I hope I have a few years ahead of me."

First place was worth $1.6 million . . . Justin Rose, who won last year at Merion, tied for 12th at 283 after a 72. He made a Payne Stewart pose after sinking a birdie putt at 18 much like the 1999 champion did there . . . World No. 1 Adam Scott tied for ninth, with a 69 for 282. The last top-ranked guy to win a major was Tiger Woods at the 2008 U.S. Open . . . Brendon Todd, who was second at the halfway point, shot 69 for 284 (tie 17th). Playing in his first major, it was his third round in the 60s. It was that 79 on Saturday that got in the way . . . Next June, the Open goes to Chambers Bay (Wash.) for the first time . . . The next major is the British Open in 4 weeks at Royal Liverpool (Hoylake), where Woods won in 2007. It's still not known whether Woods and his recuperating back will be there. The more likely scenario is the PGA in August at Valhalla, where he beat Bob May in a playoff in 2000 to complete his Triple Crown. But we'll have to see. Even that might be too soon.