Martin Kaymer dominant in Abu Dhabi

Edited by Anand Datla

Martin Kaymer established a six shot lead in the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship as the German continued his march towards a fourth title at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.  The two-time Major Champion shot a seven under par 65 to reach 20 under par and extend his advantage over Thomas Pieters, with Alex Levy and Bernd Wiesberger tied for third on 13 under.

Kaymer, winner of this tournament in 2008, 2010 and 2011, started brightly with birdies on the first two holes, before another gain on the fifth after some superb iron play.  The US Open Champion maintained the momentum with birdies on the seventh and eighth, then chipped in from a bunker at the tenth to save par after a wayward second found the desert.

He holed from 30 feet at the 11th and left a tap-in birdie at the 13th, before telling reporters: “Hopefully it’s going to be enough – I’ve really enjoyed the course,” said Kaymer.  “I’ve had a very solid three days, with only two bogeys in the first round.  I’m a little bit surprised the way I played but the first round showed me I made the right choice taking it a little bit easy over the winter.”

Rory McIlroy struggled with the putter as he posted a round of 71, which leaves the World Number One sharing fifth place – eight shots behind Kaymer.  The Northern Irishman got his third round moving with a birdie on the sixth and made another shot on the 12th – but the momentum was immediately halted as he bogeyed the next hole.

The Open Champion admitted he was left feeling deflated after failing to take advantage of several promising situations with his putter.  “I feel like punching myself. I’m very disappointed, I just didn’t putt well – yesterday or today,” admitted McIlroy.  “I hit the ball just as well as I did yesterday and gave myself so many chances but I didn’t convert any. I was very wasteful today. It looks like I’m playing for second place tomorrow.  You’re always trying to improve and get better and I’m going to have to do something a bit better on the greens to shoot a good number and finish the tournament off well.”

Kaymer’s nearest challenger is Belgium’s Pieters, whose third round 70 contained three birdies and just one bogey, on the 17th hole after finding sand off the tee.  Austria’s Wiesberger, who carded seven birdies and one bogey for a round of 66, is a shot further back alongside France’s Levy, who managed a 67 – the highlight of which was an eagle on the 18th from 12 feet.

South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel and France’s Gary Stal are alongside McIlroy on 12 under, with France’s Victor Dubuisson (64), Wales’ Jamie Donaldson (65) and another South African, Dawie van der Walt (65), benefiting from good third rounds to join America’s Peter Uihlein (70) a shot further back.