Can you be a true World No.1 if you can't play Augusta?

[Aztecs27]

I'm not seriously suggesting Kaymer is unworthy - I think he's frikkin' awesome. But the logic is exactly the same as those who claimed Westwood was unworthy due to his lack of Major.

I'm more interested in why he seems unable to play it, which as yet, no one has offered any reasonable guess for.

I can't understand it. He controls his ball well, can play on all types of course environment, very compact short game, not short off the tee and even has his idol as a previous winner (and the last to do it with a proper wood)...so why the regular 73+ scores?

I can't believe I'm agreeing with a Newcastle United fan...But I am.

 

[MashieNiblick]

I don't have the answer but I do agree there are some courses that don't seem to suit certain players however good they are. Trevino and Augusta is the famous one. Trevino was one of the best shot makers of all time but as indicated above he never liked Augusta. Tom Watson won 5 Opens but never seemed to be able to make a score round Lytham or St Georges. Seve never really seemed to do well in the US Open or US PGA (in fairness maybe once or twice I think but not as well as might have been expected).

Maybe we should give Kaymer more time. After all didn't Sandy Lyle miss the cut in every Players Championship except the year he won.

 

[Wildrover]

Only a few years ago Padraig wouldn't play in the PGA at Wentworth because it didn't suit his game. I think he has been persuaded to play since as it is the tours flagship event.

 

[NWJocko]

Only a few years ago Padraig wouldn't play in the PGA at Wentworth because it didn't suit his game. I think he has been persuaded to play since as it is the tours flagship event.

I remember Poulter throwing his rattle out the pram aswell about Wentworth because the greens were "so bad".

He should come and play at my course!!

I see his point to a degree as he is in the US where they attempt to make the greens uniform every week (obviously where the grass allows) but was a little precious of them both.

 

[pokerjoke]

Of course you can be number 1 if you cant play augusta.
Federer cant really play on clay but he was no1,even though hes improved on the surface.Perhaps Kaymer will improve over the years.
I would probably say he was beat before he even played[mentally]

 

[EZprophet]

Monty hit the nail on the head on Sky when he said something like "I've never seen a golf course where a straight shot doesn't work" when they were talking about needing a draw round Augusta. Fair point I thought.

Yeah thats true in a sense but Kaymer doesnt hit it straight.... He hits a power fade off the tee.

Its not impossible to win at Augusta without being able to shape the ball, but being able to hit the draw shortens a lot of the holes for your second shot.

What makes Kaymer so good is his ability to get up and down, but at Augusta, its so different, that getting to grips with the greens is everything. You almost have to treat chipping and putting completely differently to everywhere else, as the slopes, speed, grain etc are so severe.

It takes years for some players to get the hang of it (though not always looking at McIlroy and Day...) and my guess is that Kaymer just hasnt got it yet.

Its also maybe possible that he just hasnt played his best at any of the Masters so far... I mean this is only his 4th one to be fair.