Golf: Kaymer chasing the No 1 spot

The leaderboard at the halfway stage of the Dubai World Championship yesterday had a distinct English flavour, but Germany's Martin Kaymer remained the man of the moment.

England's Ross Fisher matched the course record 8-under par 64 to vault to the top at 9-under par 135, and was joined there later in the day by Ian Poulter, who continued his superb run of form with a 66.

One behind was defending champion Lee Westwood after his 67, while Paul Casey was the fourth player from England in the top six. Casey (67) and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee (69) were at 7-under par 137.

But it was the other player at 7-under, Kaymer, who has been the talk of the golfing world.

Kaymer looks set to become the new European No 1 after his only challenger, Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, could manage only a 1-over par 73 and slipped to a tie for 42nd.

McDowell needs to finish inside the top-three to have any chance of denying Kaymer. The pair are the only two players who can top the money-list and collect a US$1.5 million bonus for finishing the season as Europe's No 1.

"It's not over," said McDowell who is playing his fifth tournament in five weeks and acknowledged he felt mentally drained. "Going 65-65 at the weekend is not out of the question.

"I just have to rest," the Northern Irishman said.

"I have got to somehow go out and relax and have a good time, maybe have a few beers tonight and hang out by the hotel pool."

Kaymer hoped McDowell would recapture some of his form, but not too much.

"Of course you don't like to see someone playing bad," Kaymer said. "Sure it makes it a little bit easier. If he was leading the tournament there would be more pressure on me.

"My priority is to win the golf tournament and if I win here then nobody can catch me [in the money-list]. That's my goal."

Kaymer will overtake Westwood at the summit of the world rankings if he wins the tournament and Westwood is lower than second, or if the German comes second and the Briton is outside the top 27.

- Agencies