KOHLER, Wis. — Martin Kaymer was happy and so was Bubba Watson. But both felt bad for Dustin Johnson.
“It’s very heartbreaking to hear about Dustin Johnson. That’s upsetting,” Watson said. “The guy played great golf. He just made a mistake.”
Johnson was assessed a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club in a bunker off the 18th fairway. It cost him a chance to be part of a three-hole playoff for the 92nd PGA Championship. Kaymer of Germany won the playoff with a bogey at the 18th where Watson took a double bogey after hitting his second shot into the water.
“The majors are the biggest tournaments we play,” Kaymer said. “Just knowing that I can win a tournament like that gives me huge confidence for any other tournament I will play for the rest of my career.”
Kaymer shot a 2-under 70 to get to 11-under at the end of 72 holes. Watson fired a 4-under par 68 to be the first in the clubhouse at 11-under. After Johnson was assessed his two-stroke penalty that knocked him out of the playoff at 9-under, it became a two-man duel, a three-hole aggregate playoff. Watson struck first with a birdie at the par-4 10th and Kaymer answered with a birdie at the difficult par-3 17th.
Watson then found trouble at the 18th when his second shot from the right rough sailed into the water hazard next to the green.
“I had 206 to the front of the green and I was hoping I would catch a flier with a 6-iron,” Watson said. “I hit it as good as I could, just came out dead.
“If I had it to do over again, I would hit it every day. I play to win a golf tournament. I don’t play to lay up and hopefully make a par and tie or win. I went for the win.”
It cost him a win as his next shot skipped across the green and down into a bunker. His blast out of the bunker hit the pin stopping about three feet away. After seeing Watson go in the water, Kaymer played it safe, laying up before hitting a short wedge to the green. From there he two-putted for the victory.
“When he hit it in the water hazard, I thought the best he can make is five,” Kaymer said. “I thought if I laid up and give myself a chance for par, I give myself a chance to win the PGA Championship.”
A bogey was good enough. Both players were happy to qualify for their respect Ryder Cup teams.
“I’ve wanted to play the Ryder Cup my whole life,” Watson said. “I’ve made many putts when I was eight and 10 years old to win the Ryder Cup. So why would you not want to play for your country?”