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Kaymer hoping to extend money lead
PGA champion Martin Kaymer has a chance to move further ahead in the European money order list when the Dutch Open starts on Thursday, with main rivals Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood taking a break from golf.
Kaymer will be playing for the first time since going top of the Race to Dubai by winning his first major last month, the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
The 25-year-old German is €200,000 ($255,000) in front of McDowell, the US Open champion, and €430,000 ($548,000) clear of Westwood.
"After the USPGA, I went on vacation for a couple of weeks," said Kaymer, who along with Francesco Molinari will be the only Ryder Cup players in the field at Hilversumche Golf Club.
"I have come here to Holland because its good preparation for the Ryder Cup and to see how it goes after having three weeks off.
But I feel good and I feel rested, and I feel ready to win again."
McDowell also hasn't played since Whistling Straits and is taking an extended break ahead of the Ryder Cup next month. The Northern Irishman has struggled to deal with the increased attention that came after he won the US Open at Pebble Beach in June.
Westwood is still recovering from the calf and ankle injuries that forced him to withdraw from the Bridgestone Invitational last month. The Englishman won't play again before the Ryder Cup, and Justin Rose is on standby as a replacement for that event.
Ryder Cup vice captains Thomas Bjorn of Denmark and Paul McGinley of Ireland are also in the Dutch Open field.
McGinley's European Tour exemption for winning the 2005 Volvo
Masters at Valdarrama runs out in November. At No. 137 on the money
list, he is in danger of losing his playing card for 2011.
