Newsday (N.Y.): Donald tops Kaymer in Match Play final

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

MARANA, Ariz. — He majored in art at Northwestern and has his own name on a California wine. The image of Luke Donald, enhanced by his proper English accent, was that of a man who played golf less for the competition than for the
exercise and enjoyment.

“I’ve been depicted as someone happy contending, picking up checks, but doesn’t really care about winning,’’ said Donald after he picked up $1.4 million, the biggest payday of his career, for winning the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship yesterday. “And that’s about as far away from the truth as it can be.’’

In a final delayed by a hailstorm and played on fairways that had been covered by an overnight snow, Donald, 33, was as far away from finals opponent Martin Kaymer as he needed to be. Donald not only won 3 and 2 against Kaymer, the “Germanator,’’ at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, in the winter wonderland foothills north of Tucson, he climbed to No. 3 in the world rankings.

Kaymer became No. 1 on Saturday when he won his semifinal. Since Englishman Lee Westwood is at No. 2 and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell is No. 4, it is the first time since 1992 that no American player is in the top four. Tiger Woods dropped to fifth and Phil Mickelson to sixth. Both were eliminated early in the championship.

Donald’s play this week was unprecedented in Accenture history. He became the first never to trail in any of his six matches. Yesterday he went 3-up on Kaymer, 26, in the first five holes. Donald let the lead get away by the ninth but regained it with a birdie on 11. Not once in those six matches did Donald get to the 18th hole. In the 89 holes he played, he recorded 31 birdies.

“It feels amazing,’’ said Donald, who has homes in Illinois and Florida and mainly plays the PGA Tour. “I had a bit of a monkey on my back. I hadn’t won in the U.S. in five years.” Not since the Honda in March 2006.

Donald said he doesn’t consider himself a modern player, meaning peers outdrive him by 30-40 yards and he must compensate with his short game.

“I think he’s probably the best in the world around the greens,’’ Kaymer said. And the whites, after the hail smashed down. “It was testing,’’ Donald said of the weather. “It was bizarre.’’

With the site contract at an end, the Accenture might not return to a course at 2,700-feet elevation. The tournament moved here from La Costa, north of San Diego, because of rain. Where it might go now is a question. There’s no question, however, where Donald wants to go.

“I feel my work ethic is as good as any player out here,’’ Donald said. “I work  very hard trying to keep getting better. Winning is what it’s all about.’’

It certainly was in the Accenture.

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Newsday (N.Y.): Donald vs. Kaymer for Match Play crown

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

MARANA, Ariz. - As Casey Stengel wondered about the '62 Mets, so it must be asked about golfers from the United States: Can't anybody here play this game? At least well enough to make the finals of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship?

The guy they call the "Germanator,'' Martin Kaymer - who now also must be called the world's No. 1 - and Luke Donald, the Englishman from Chicago, will play Sunday for the title at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, in the foothills some 20 miles north of Tucson.

That's assuming the rain and possible snow flurries predicted by weather forecasters do not postpone play.

Kaymer, who by reaching the last round overtook England's Lee Westwood at the top of the world rankings, defeated America's Bubba Watson, 1 up, Saturday in one semifinal. In the other, Donald crushed Matt Kuchar, another American, 6 and 5.

This will be the third straight year and fourth in the last five that no U.S. golfer has been in the final. Only when Tiger Woods defeated countryman Stewart Cink in 2008 was there an American in the competition the final day other than the dreaded consolation match, which will offer Watson against Kuchar Sunday.

As far as consolation, it may soothe American egos that the 33-year-old Donald graduated from Northwestern, won the 1999 NCAA championship and competes on the PGA Tour. And Kaymer, 26, from Düsseldorf, has a residence up I-10 in Scottsdale, although he has returned to competing mostly in Europe.

"There was no escaping Luke Donald,'' said Kuchar, who was the Tour's money leader in 2010. "I played decent and he just tore me up.''

Watson was similar in his comment about Kaymer, last year's PGA Championship winner. "He is playing really good,'' said Watson. "I just couldn't beat him.''

In the morning quarterfinals, Watson did beat J.B. Holmes in the biggest comeback in Accenture history. Holmes was 5 up after 10 holes, but through a series of his own errors - he hit a couple of shots into the Saguaro cactus and sagebrush - and Watson birdies, Bubba caught him on the 18th. Then Holmes drove a ball into the desert on the first extra hole, and Watson won, 1 up

Four years ago Holmes was 3 up on Woods with five to play in the first round and lost

In other quarters, Donald defeated Ryan Moore of the U.S., 5 and 4; Kuchar beat Y.E. Yang of Korea, the '09 PGA Champion, 2 and 1; and Kaymer built a 4-up lead over Miguel Angel Jimenez with four holes to play only to hang on for a 1 up victory.

Donald is one of the game's shorter hitters. But also one of its straightest. His iron game is brilliant. He's had 27 birdies in the 73 holes he's finished. Should he win the final, he'll rise to No. 3 in the rankings.

Donald sat out the early events this year, returning only last week for the Northern Trust Open at Riviera outside Los Angeles, where the second day he shot a 79. He said that merely was a case of being rusty.

"I've been playing good this week,'' said Donald. "I've been stringing together a lot of good rounds, making birdies. Twice he has won by scores of 6 and 5, once 5 and 4. He's never been past the 17th hole.

"There's more to the game than hitting it far,'' reminded Donald when he was told the course was 7,800-yards - although at 2,700 feet elevation it doesn't play that long.

"I pride myself on a very good short game. I work very hard at it.''

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http://www.newsday.com/sports/golf/donald-vs-kaymer-for-match-play-crown-1.2716163
Copyright © 2011 Newsday. All rights reserved.