Kaymer leapfrogs McDowell at Pinehurst

Martin Kaymer birdied three of the last five holes to jump out ahead of Graeme McDowell as the clear leader of the US Open going into Friday's second round at Pinehurst.

by Simon Lewis

Martin Kaymer birdied three of the last five holes to jump out ahead of Graeme McDowell as the clear leader of the US Open going into today's second round at Pinehurst.

The German, who last month won the unofficial “fifth major” when victorious at The Players Championship, set about winning his second official one in North Carolina on Thursday with an opening-round, five-under-par 65 that puts him three shots clear of Ireland's McDowell and American Kevin Na.

“How do I explain it? Obviously The Players, that made a big difference on the confidence level,” Kaymer said. “And then I think three or four birdies that were very short putts, like between two and five feet, that you should make. Fortunately I could make them. And a couple of putts on 16 and 17. So overall I just hit very good shots. I didn't miss many greens, and therefore I could avoid a lot of bogeys.

“It's only the first round and usually the golf course only gets more difficult. So I think if you stay around level par, you can't be that far away from winning the golf tournament.”

Having had to wait until the afternoon to get his championship under, it was a wonderfully constructed round for the 2010 US PGA champion, the only blemish a bogey at the par-four seventh hole as he went to the turn in one under par.

Early starters McDowell and Na had sat on the clubhouse lead for much of the day having each compiled opening-round 68s and Kaymer saved his charge to the first-round overnight lead until the last throes of the day, a birdie at the 10th just a precursor to the glittering finishing stretch.

It was there that the 29-year-old birdied the 14th, 16th and 17th holes to open up his advantage to three shots, with Zimbabwe's Brendon De Jonge also joining the party late on with a 68 to put him in a tie for second place.

McDowell allowed himself the pat on the back he knew Pinehurst No.2 would not give him after an opening round that leaves the Portrush golfer primed to regain the title he won in 2010.

McDowell's two-under 68, featuring a very special eagle at the par-five fifth, was his reward for a week of steeling himself to be mentally strong enough to resist an aggressive approach on this toughest of courses in North Carolina.

He had warned that Pinehurst No.2, with severe run-off areas waiting around fast, crowned greens, would require patience and the ability to grind and he took his advice to the letter with a gritty round that featured a birdie and a bogey to go with the eagle.

“Very pleased. This was a golf course where I spent the last few days just preparing myself mentally for the challenge, knowing this golf course wasn't going to give much and it was only going to take,” McDowell said.

“So I really kind of felt like I got my head in the right place the last few days. It wasn't my best ball-striking display, but you don't have to strike it amazing around here, you just have to position the ball correctly at all times, because unless you're Rory McIlroy, and the ball-striking display he put on this morning, that's about the only way you can attack this course.”

Playing partner McIlroy did it his way, aggressively, and came out of the recorder's room with a one-over 71 while McDowell went his more conservative way and finished two shots better. Both men hit 13 of 14 fairways but McDowell needed three putts fewer than his fellow Irish major champion's 33.

If there was a putt of the day from McDowell it was at the par-three sixth, when his 30-footer rolled eight feet past the hole and he came back in style for an excellent par save.

It marked the end of a three-hole stretch that had seen the 2010 champion bogey the par-four fourth having bunkered short and right with his approach and then bounce back brilliantly with an eagle at the fifth, McDowell sending in a three wood from 248 yards and holing his 12-foot putt up the hill.

It earned the praise of McIlroy, who said: “G-Mac didn't start the best and made that eagle on five. Then he gets the most out of it and misses it in the right places, has a really good short game, holes big momentum putts to keep his run going. He always seems to be able to make those.

“This is his ideal sort of tournament, grinding it out, and the winning score not being too much under par and he knows how to do that well.”

There is, of course, a long way to go in this most gruelling of championships that already has a leaderboard featuring some of the world's best players, including Memorial Tournament winner Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, world number two Henrik Stenson, and leading Americans Brandt Snedeker, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Keegan Bradley, Harris English and Jordan Spieth, all of whom are one under par following 69s.

One shot back from Spieth and company lies six-time US Open runner-up Phil Mickelson, whose quest to complete a career grand slam of majors began with an even-par 70, while playing partner and defending champion Justin Rose rallied from being four over par after his first nine, starting from the 10th tee, to card a two-over 72. One better was the third member of the group, Rose's fellow Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick, playing his last tournament as an amateur.

The Sheffield teenager joined McIlroy in the clubhouse at one over par following his opening 71.

Irishmen Shane Lowry and Darren Clarke both had late tee times and will be looking to get off to quicker starts today.

BMW PGA Championship runner-up Lowry, who won the international qualifier in England the day after his payday at Wentworth last month, opened with a one-birdie, four-bogey 73, the same score posted by world number one Adam Scott.

Former Open champion Clarke carded a 75, a shot ahead of Masters champion Bubba Watson, who may be in form but continued his frustrations in the US Open regardless as he slumped to a six-over 76, his record now showing just one under-par round in 23 at his national championship, a 67 at Bethpage in 2009.