• US PGA Championship

Kaymer expresses sympathy for Johnson

Martin Kaymer has expressed sympathy for Dustin Johnson following the controversial penalty that cost him a shot at US PGA Championship glory.

Kaymer beat Bubba Watson in a play-off to become the first German to win the US PGA Championship, but he could also have had Johnson to contend with only for the American to be hit with a two-shot penalty for grounding his club in a bunker on the 18th.

Johnson was unaware he was in a bunker, feeling it was a waste area, and Kaymer could understand the American's frustrations.

"First of all, I was very I don't know if sad is the right word, but I was a little bit shocked about Dustin Johnson," Kaymer said. "Can you imagine if he would have made that putt on 18? He would have thought he'd won the golf tournament.

"Well, I think on this golf course, it was very tough to see, what is a bunker and what is not a bunker. What I said earlier already; I think it's very sad he got two penalty strokes. He played great golf. He's a very nice guy.

"Bubba and I talked about it. Of course, for us, you know, we said, 'okay, it's only between us now', but it's still sad to see, because he didn't do it on purpose; he didn't know it before until he realised that he put his club down in the sand, and then I think it came to his head that it might be a bunker. But what I said already, it's very sad to see, and, yeah, I don't know what to say. It was sad for Bubba and me."

Johnson was somewhat aggrieved by the ruling, but took the setback with good grace.

"I just thought I was on a piece of dirt that the crowd had trampled down," Johnson said. "I never thought I was in a sand trap. It never once crossed my mind that I was in a bunker. Obviously I know the Rules of Golf, and I can't ground my club in a bunker, but that was just one situation I guess. Maybe I should have looked to the rule sheet a little harder.

"Walking up there, seeing the shot, it never once crossed my mind that I was in a sand trap. I guess it's very unfortunate. I guess the only worse thing that could have happened is if I made that putt on the last hole. I never once thought that I was in a sand trap."

Responding to a question on whether he felt something had been stolen from him, Johnson added: "Maybe a little bit. But, you know, that's how it goes."

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