German not giving any thought to world rankings
Martin Kaymer has played down his chances of taking over from Lee Westwood as World No.1, insisting his focus remains simply to win tournaments.
The German started the 2011 season in spectacular style a couple of weeks ago when he thrashed the field by eight shots to win the Abu Dhabi Championship for the third time in four years.
He could now grab top spot in the rankings from Westwood with a top-two finish in Qatar this week, but insists he'll head into the event in Doha with rather more modest targets.
"My goal is to finish in the top 10," he stated. "I've never done that here.
"If I say I want to be number one in the world it would not be my honest answer, and I will just be telling you that because it is what you want to hear me say.
"My goal is what I have said many times before and that is not to become No.1 right now. For me it's just important to play tournaments, win those tournaments, and then if I take care of that, then yes I will become No.1 one day.
"But at the moment I'm not focusing on my world ranking."
Modest record
On his first two visits Kaymer missed the halfway cut, and the last two years he has come 32nd and 31st. Indeed, only once in 12 rounds at the Doha Golf Club has he broken 70.
His friend and rival Westwood has far happier memories of the Doha course. He came third last year, behind Robert Karlsson and Alvaro Quiros, and shot a closing 65 for fifth place in 2008.
The Englishman endured a disappointing outing in Abu Dhabi as he struggled to make the cut before finishing some 26 shots behind eventual champion Kaymer.
However, he is not too concerned by that result, stating: "I missed the cut there last year and then was third and second in my next two tournaments.
"I think I've shaken off a bit of rust now. This is a demanding test and while I wouldn't say any of the courses out here are easy I think this is the toughest of the lot.
"But if you play well it gives you the chance to shoot a low score."
Westwood is also delighted at the quality of the field that has assembled in Doha, a field that includes world number six Steve Stricker.
The American has been tempted over to play in his first regular European Tour event for some 16 years, a fact not lost on Westwood.
"It's great to see Americans coming over," he added. "I think it shows where the European Tour is at right now. We're playing for massive world ranking points because we are at the top."
The German started the 2011 season in spectacular style a couple of weeks ago when he thrashed the field by eight shots to win the Abu Dhabi Championship for the third time in four years.
He could now grab top spot in the rankings from Westwood with a top-two finish in Qatar this week, but insists he'll head into the event in Doha with rather more modest targets.
"My goal is to finish in the top 10," he stated. "I've never done that here.
"If I say I want to be number one in the world it would not be my honest answer, and I will just be telling you that because it is what you want to hear me say.
"My goal is what I have said many times before and that is not to become No.1 right now. For me it's just important to play tournaments, win those tournaments, and then if I take care of that, then yes I will become No.1 one day.
"But at the moment I'm not focusing on my world ranking."
Modest record
On his first two visits Kaymer missed the halfway cut, and the last two years he has come 32nd and 31st. Indeed, only once in 12 rounds at the Doha Golf Club has he broken 70.
His friend and rival Westwood has far happier memories of the Doha course. He came third last year, behind Robert Karlsson and Alvaro Quiros, and shot a closing 65 for fifth place in 2008.
The Englishman endured a disappointing outing in Abu Dhabi as he struggled to make the cut before finishing some 26 shots behind eventual champion Kaymer.
However, he is not too concerned by that result, stating: "I missed the cut there last year and then was third and second in my next two tournaments.
"I think I've shaken off a bit of rust now. This is a demanding test and while I wouldn't say any of the courses out here are easy I think this is the toughest of the lot.
"But if you play well it gives you the chance to shoot a low score."
Westwood is also delighted at the quality of the field that has assembled in Doha, a field that includes world number six Steve Stricker.
The American has been tempted over to play in his first regular European Tour event for some 16 years, a fact not lost on Westwood.
"It's great to see Americans coming over," he added. "I think it shows where the European Tour is at right now. We're playing for massive world ranking points because we are at the top."
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