Martin Kaymer's narrow failure to make a birdie putt on the final green of the Castello Masters in Spain proved costly on two fronts. Not only did it deny the brilliant young German a play-off against Sweden's Michael Jonzon and the chance of a 13th professional title, it also deprived him of what would have been a significant lead in the Race to Dubai with only five events remaining.
Kaymer needed the ?333,330 euro (Dh1.83m) winner's cheque to overtake England's Lee Westwood in the inaugural "Race" which will reach an exciting conclusion at the $US7.5m (Dh27.5m) Dubai World Championship from November 19-22. Disappointed though he was by the near miss, Kaymer, 24, can be thoroughly satisfied with his second position on what was formerly the European Tour's order of merit after an untimely absence through a toe injury sustained in a karting accident.
His pay cheque of ?173,710 took him ahead of Rory McIlroy and within ?87,000 of leader Westwood in the battle for the $1.5m "Race" first prize. It has also been an idle but satisfying autumn for Paul Casey, like Kaymer a winner of the Abu Dhabi Championship. The Englishman returns this week from a frustrating lay-off with a damaged rib comfortably holding on to fourth place with major winners such as Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera and Padraig Harrington still trailing him.
While the main focus is on who is going to become the first winner of the newly named "Race", there is an intriguing side issue on the dividing line which determines which 60 golfers make the trip to the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. There was a timely top-10 finish for the popular Irishman Darren Clarke on Sunday. A tremendous 65 on the final afternoon of the Castello tournament took him to the right side of the cut, keeping him in the hunt for the Jumeirah jackpot.
There is no chance of the 59th-placed Clarke being able to relax yet, however. Australia's Scott Strange, who currently occupies the last qualifying position, and Ignacio Garrido, the Spaniard who is in 61st position, are both within ?5,000 on the seasonal money list. Jonzon's big pay day on Sunday in recognition of his second Tour win propels him into the Dubai running. He is now in 65th place, ?46,000 short of the qualification mark. Whether he makes the exciting finale or not, he was consoled by securing his Tour card for another year.
"It's been desperate for me and I am kind of speechless at the moment," he said after a closing 67 had given him a 20-under-par aggregate of 264. "It's unbelievable." @Email:wjohnson@thenational.ae
