Doha course challenges Martin Kaymer and Steve Stricker
The opening round of the Qatar Masters left many of the top ranked players far away from the top of the leader board of this European Tour event.
The windy conditions on the Doha Course, in Doha Qatar really got to players, who have conquered major championships. Following the opening round, most of the top players didn’t manage to finish under par. Leading the Qatar Masters is the South African golfer,
Retief Goose,n who posted a three under par.
The American golfer Steve Stricker, who is making his debut in Doha, posted a four over par in the opening round. The golfer, who usually prefers the PGA and American golf finally decided to travel around the world. His main attraction was the strength
of European golf now and how it would surely promise a good game of golf.
Ranked number seven in the world, Steve is competing in a European Tour event after sixteen years. As much as Stricker’s appearance was a positive sign for European golf, the player didn’t manage to do so well.
On the front nine, Steve made a birdie on the seventh hole following by a bogey on the ninth. Things got worse on the back nine, as Steve made five bogeys and only one birdie on the sixteenth.
Another player, who really disappointed the crowd and himself, was the number two German golfer, Martin Kaymer. The 26-year old can surpass Lee Westwood as world number one if he finishes in second place with Westwood finishing in no more than a tie for
22nd place.
However, after his performance today, Kaymer really needs to struggle only to make the cut. The player was literally blown away on the golf course as he posted a five over par. Martin dropped a shot at the sixth and the twelfth hole.
The 2010 PGA Championship winner Kaymer was playing safely as the player only made pars on the rest of the holes. The double bogey six on the 15th hole and another bogey on the 17th hence caused Martin to finish at a tie for 74th
place.
If Kaymer doesn’t do well in the second round, he will surely be in danger of missing the cut. The last time Martin missed a cut was in the Scottish Open in July 2010. Following the incident Martin has had four wins and one major win.
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