Sunday

Is W#1 Martin Kaymer a Teutonic Robot?

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I only ask this question because Kaymer has, in fact, been described as Teutonic.  And his on-course demeanor is... well... the word robotic does come to mind.  Some refer to him as The Germanator, which he scoffs at, but I'm guessing it doesn't really bother him.

As he gets ready to face Luke Donald later today for the Accenture Match Play tournament title Martin Kaymer is also being called World No. 1,  though he's quick to clarify that he won't actually feel like the top golfer until the rankings are officially posted on Monday. 

You see? Herr Kaymer's got feelings, so clearly he's not a robot, and as for German stereotypes, well has anyone ever seen W#1 in lederhosen? I think not.  His on-course look is elegant and classic: Hugo Boss,  though he added his own sartorially brilliant touch yesterday when he wore a distinctive scarf known as a Buff, designed by Black Fly Outfitters for... fly fishermen.

The fact is, golf is still considered something of an exclusionary, niche sport in Germany, and until his PGA Championship win Martin Kaymer was arguably more well known outside of his own country then within it.  Though Bernard Langer placed Germany firmly on the golfing map in the 1980s, his ego was not made for the limelight,  and his impact on German sports fans was somewhat muted by the enormous celebrity of tennis player Boris Becker, whose larger-than-life persona and youthful triumphs overshadowed Langer's amazing accomplishments. As such, golf has a huge potential for growth in Germany... which by the way is among six bidding nations for the 2018 Ryder cup... and Kaymer's rapid rise seems perfectly timed to allow Germany to take advantage of that potential.

Martin Kaymer may or may not win this afternoon, but he is W#1, and as more golf fans get to know him, I'm guessing the Teutonic Robot rumors will be put to rest quite quickly.

Golf Girl's Note: I HIGHLY recommend  reading Jason Sobel's  Martin Kaymer is One Cool Customer.  He perfectly captures the non-robotic charm of the soon-to-be-#1.

Photograph: (upper) Fadil Berisha/Rolex  
Photograph: (lower) Scott Halleran/Getty Images North America
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9 comments:

  1. Ted Kastler2/27/2011 4:22 PM

    love his golf swing and results too, but the scarf needs to stay with the fish :)

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  2. golf growl2/27/2011 6:55 PM

    Congratulation to No.1 Martin Kaymer ... and No.3 Luke Donald. Congrats to Luke on the win too. He's another player who's been "under the radar" for too long.

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  3. Anonymous2/27/2011 7:01 PM

    Makes me wonder when we'll ever see an American as W#1 again.

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  4. heather2/27/2011 7:02 PM

    I love the Hugo Boss look. Kaymer has class.

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  5. Anonymous2/28/2011 11:14 AM

    .

    kaymer certainly won't register on the german scale

    the germans go absolutely crazy for soccer as compared to all other sports except skiing

    plus germany is too northern a climate, with a limited summer, to allow the appropriate grasses to prosper (and if a german cannot build the best, he would rather not build at all - it's why they do not grow red wine, just white, which is "the best", eventhough it is the most extreme exposure of grapes anywhere in the world)

    anyway be well

    frankD
    ft lauderdale, soFLA

    as for herr becker, it was his runway-model african wife, and subsequent nasty divorce from said ebony queen, that got him exposure - rather than his tennis, which was downplayed in germany because of his very un-germanic playboy image

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  6. Heather Kerrigan2/28/2011 12:05 PM

    My golfing gal pals and I found him far from "robotic." Hypnotic maybe. He's blessed with more than just talent. :o)

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  7. LisaS2/28/2011 3:30 PM

    If by chance Martin Kaymer IS a Robot... Robots are sexy.

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  8. Ken2/28/2011 6:09 PM

    Kaymer just gives off the aura of cool and methodical...

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  9. Chris3/01/2011 4:47 PM

    Surprised to see him beaten on sunday - Luke Donald was just on another level. However i think its going to take some awesome golf to overtake him as world number#1. Tiger is so far off the pace is untrue, I think with his long lay off after the big marital affair the standard went up another level and his game is simply not at the races.

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