Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson happy with strong starts at Baltusrol
Friday 29 July 2016 09:34, UK
Martin Kaymer insisted he remains "relaxed" over his chances of forcing his way into Europe's Ryder Cup team after he made a strong start to the 98th PGA Championship.
Kaymer's 66 was the best score of the later starters on the opening day at Baltusrol as conditions became trickier throughout the afternoon, and he ended the round just one shot adrift of early pacesetter Jimmy Walker.
The 2010 champion started with five pars from the 10th before igniting his charge up the leaderboard with four birdies in five holes, and he bounced back from a mistake at the second with another birdie at the next and parred in to stay at four under.
The German needs a big week to have any chance of qualifying for Darren Clarke's Ryder Cup team on merit, but he does not feel under any extra pressure to be on the place for Hazeltine in September.
"Of course I would like to be there but it doesn't affect me in a negative way," said Kaymer, who memorably holed the putt that retained the trophy for Europe in the Miracle at Medinah in 2012.
"2008 was the first time that I had a realistic chance to make the team and every single day I played a tournament I was just thinking about points and comparing myself to other players who I was fighting with to get that final spot.
"Now I'm very relaxed about it because I know since 2012, since I made that putt, deep down I know it's a team effort. If I'm good enough to contribute something to the team, to make a win or to help it win, great. If somebody else would be better, then he should play. It's not about me.
"This week is about me, and all the other weeks. But the Ryder Cup is more about the 12 players. And I don't want to make myself too important, you know. If I make it, I hope I can win and I can help the team. If not, I'm not good enough; somebody else is better."
Kaymer, who slipped outside the world's top 50 after an indifferent season so far, was delighted with his form in New Jersey as he defied the tougher, afternoon conditions to get within a shot of the lead.
"There's nothing easy on the golf course, but I just didn't miss many fairways and therefore, you can create some birdie chances," he added. "But at the end of the day you still need to make the putts, and fortunately I did today. I even had a good chance on 18 to make three.
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"I rarely put myself out of play where I need to scramble a lot. The last three or four holes, I needed to do a little bit of that, but in general I kept it together and created chances, and I think that's the key on this golf course."
Meanwhile, Henrik Stenson gave himself a great chance to contend for back-to-back majors just two weeks after claiming his first with his memorable, record-breaking victory in The Open at Royal Troon.
The Swede birdied the last to cap an inward 33 which got him within two shots of the lead, and he said: "I'm pleased with that start and I thought I played a very solid round. I wasn't in too much trouble at any time, I hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, and gave myself some good chances.
"I felt maybe a slight lack of preparation on the putting green this week was showing up on a few occasions, but all in all, I think I putted okay, and I made the most of the ones I needed to make. And a couple birdie putts coming in there, which 3-under in a major is always good."
Stenson comfortably outscored playing partners and fellow maiden major winners Danny Willett (71) and Dustin Johnson (77), and he added: "I think all of us are pretty happy with what's happened this year. We all had our major breakthroughs and now it's more about enjoying it, but at the same time, we've got to move on.
"We're in the middle of a busy season and I've got a lot of golf to play. It's this week here, the final major, and then we have the Olympics, the FedExCup, the Ryder Cup and the Race to Dubai. It's going to be a great season for me, but at the same time I want to give myself a chance to try to make it the best season.
"I feel I can carry that momentum I had at The Open, and I guess the start shows that we're not too far away when we teed it up again. So happy with the day's work, and it's another two-and-a-half days to try and be in position on Sunday afternoon, which is what it's all about."
