Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell arrive in Dubai as the only players who can finish atop the money list
This week, the top 60 players on the Race to Dubai money list will convene in Dubai for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.
But only two players – Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell – can finish the season atop the money list. The number-one ranked Kaymer leads McDowell by less than $400,000, meaning a win by
either player would give them the number-one spot and the lion’s share of the $7.5 million bonus prize, to be spread out amongst the top 15 players on the money list. If that wasn’t enough to play for, the winner at Dubai will earn $1.2 million.
Ian Poulter, ranked fifth on the Race to Dubai list and winner of last week’s Hong Kong Open, has given McDowell the edge over Kaymer based on his recent finishes. "Martin's leading but
then Graeme's in great form, as we have seen from him these past couple of weeks, and that sort of form is easy to continue. He won in Valderrama and was third in Singapore and now fifth behind me in Hong Kong, so you can see, Graeme's on a good roll."
McDowell, the reigning U.S. Open champion and the man who sunk the winning putt at the Ryder Cup this past month, has finished no worse than fifth in four of his past six events. While
he will enter Dubai with a lot of confidence, the 31-year-old Northern Irishman is not taking anything for granted. “Of course I am within touching distance now and I’ve got to play well, simple as that. I can’t control Martin’s golf ball – only mine. I’m
going to go and play my own game and see what happens. I have a few things to brush up on but, all in all, I’m feeling really good about my game. I’m playing well enough to win and that’s all I can ask.”
After winning three straight starts beginning at the PGA Championship in August, the 25-year-old Kaymer has posted mediocre scores, finishing 21st, 30th, and 10th in his past three events.
But the German remains confident he can hold off McDowell. “I’ve played very well the last few months and going into this week, I feel confident about my game. Hopefully I can play well, and make sure that I win The Race to Dubai somehow.”
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