World’s top three drawn together for US Open

The world No 3 will partner Englishmen Luke Donald and Lee Westwood in the first two rounds at Congressional, with the trio comprising the top three in the rankings as well as the last three holders of the No 1 spot.

Factor in the presence of Donald’s brother and former caddie Chris on the German’s bag for the first time and the stage is set for fireworks.

But Kaymer said: “I think there’s a bigger picture for sure. At the end of the day you’re still thinking about the tournaments, it’s not about the world rankings.

“And with Chris Donald, I don’t know how he is as a caddie. I know that he’s a very nice guy, a great personality. We get along very well. We will try out a few weeks and then see how it goes.

“His experience that he has from his brother, he caddied for him for seven years and a year for Paul Casey, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

“But obviously this is our first week, so it would be a little bit difficult to get used to each other straight away. We will spend a lot of time together talking, about distances, about how I approach a golf course, a little more aggressive or defensive. He just has to know me.”

Kaymer won last year’s US PGA, making him one of 10 different winners in as many majors.

And while he acknowledged the impact on that of Tiger Woods’s struggles for form and fitness since his well-documented personal problems, he said: “It’s exciting, isn’t it?

“It’s nice to have different champions. It’s interesting for golf and the world.

“It’s nice that KJ Choi won (the Players’ Championship) recently. It’s great for Asia, as well. The world rankings are changing every week, every month something else is going on.

“So I find it all very exciting and intriguing.

“Obviously Tiger hasn’t been up to his best form the last two years.

“I played with him at TPC, only for nine holes.

“You could see the spectators get less on the back nine when he left. It’s always nice to have him at tournaments, it brings in a little bit more attention.

“Hopefully he gets well soon and we can play against him.

“But I think for us Europeans, obviously, it’s fantastic, it’s very exciting to see us all up there at the top.”

On his own chances this week, he added: “I have to start okay.

“If I have an okay start to put myself in an okay position for the weekend then I’m just looking for that great round on Saturday or Sunday.”

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