Martin Kaymer splits with his caddie before Volvo World Match Play Championship
It has proved to be a disappointing season for the caddies, as many of the established players have been showing the door to their trusted compatriots who have carried their bags through the thick and thin.
After a long haul, Dustin Johnson dumped his caddie Bobby Brown who had been carrying the golfer’s bag for three years, guiding the young player many a times to splendid victories.
Aussie Adam Scott dumped Tony Navarro this week after an association that spanned for a staggering seven years. Navarro, who has an experience of 30 years of brilliant caddying record, has worked with some of the finest men in the business.
Most notable split of the season however, was announced yesterday by the former world number one Martin Kaymer who has finally decided to part ways with his Scottish caddie Craig Connelly.
"For me it was just time to change and move on," he said. "We've talked about it a few times already. But on Sunday we had a little chat and just decided to go our separate ways."
The split has come as a surprise to many critics of the sport as the duo’s acquaintance, has yielded some thrilling victories for the 26-year-old German. He has decided to part ways with Connelly just after three months of becoming world number one.
Kaymer won his first major title, the US PGA Championship last August and went over to be part of the winning European team in the Ryder Cup. He emerged as world number one in February’s WGC World Match Play Championship in Arizona when he qualified for
the final round of the tournament. However, the German lost the top slot again to Lee Westwood who conceded two consecutive wins on the Asian turf to regain the title.
Kaymer's disappointing bid in the Masters last month, where he missed the cut, forced him to settle for third in OWGR after Luke Donald’s charge to the number two spot.
Brilliant as a player he might be, it remains fundamentally important in golf as to whom the player submits his bag to. For the moment, Kaymer has opted for his brother, a law student in Cologne and who has caddied for the player during his rookie year,
for the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin Spain. It is only a matter of time that the promising champion would lure some renowned caddies for the job, although no one has applied for the new vacancy as yet.
"I haven't had any calls yet (from other caddies) - I think nobody knows," Kaymer continued. "But obviously now some people will know. I'll just try to have some fun with him this week and we'll see what happens at Wentworth if I find somebody. If not, I'm
sure I will find somebody for the US Open.”
The championship scheduled over the weekend in Andalucía, Spain, will help the champion experience the difficulties of the absence of an experienced caddie on the bag.
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