Two weeks after starting his season with an eight-shot victory in Abu Dhabi – achieved with a 24-under-par total which almost defied belief – Kaymer did not manage a single birdie in an opening 77 at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.
Struggling in gusts of over 30mph, the 26-year-old German was blown off course in his pursuit of Lee Westwood at the top of the rankings and finished the day eight strokes off the pace.
South African Retief Goosen, celebrating his 42nd birthday, was the only player to break 70, although just before play was called off because of darkness Swede Niclas Fasth joined him on three under par with two holes still to go in the morning.
Westwood, who could lose the number one spot if Kaymer finishes in the top two on Sunday, managed only a 73 himself, but that was good enough for a place inside the top 20.
After only one bogey all week a fortnight ago, Kaymer dropped shots at the sixth and 12th and then drove into rocks three holes later.
The USPGA champion tried to play his way out of trouble, but knocked the ball only a few yards and then took a penalty drop en route to a double-bogey six.
Another shot went at the short 17th and he is now in danger of his first missed cut since the Scottish Open last July. He has had four wins, including his first major, since then.
Goosen, in contrast, has not tasted victory for nearly two years and his last European Tour success was this event in 2007.
The double US Open champion was, however, joint third in Abu Dhabi, albeit 10 shots adrift of Kaymer, and continued that form in the far more difficult conditions.
“I drove it nicely, but it was tough to get the ball close to the flags and when you were putting you were getting blown all over the place,” Goosen said.
Fasth’s last win was also four years ago and it is now nine years since he helped Europe win the Ryder Cup at The Belfry.
He made a 15-foot birdie putt on the seventh, his 16th, in the fast-fading light to put himself and Goosen one ahead of defending champion Robert Karlsson, England’s Richard Finch and 2003 winner Darren Fichardt.
John Daly came home in 42 to match Kaymer’s 77, world number seven Steve Stricker was only one better, and Ryder Cup winner Ross Fisher slumped to an 80.
Paul Casey, winner in Bahrain last week, needed three birdies in his last four holes just for a 74, while Ian Poulter birdied two of his last three for 72 and joint 10th.
“Feels like I’ve been a punch bag for (Floyd) Mayweather today,” Poulter said. “Shame I’m not at the Phoenix Open – I’ve got 10 mates there for three days on a stag weekend, then they’re off to Vegas.”
Peter Lawrie was best of the Irish on 72 while Damien McGrane and Michael Hoey both shot 74. Paul McGinley joined Kaymer on 77 while Darren Clarke had to settle for a 78
Meanwhile, Scotland’s Elliot Saltman has finished joint fourth in a mini-tour event in Spain just two weeks after receiving a three-month European Tour ban.
The Hi5 Pro Tour had no objections to Saltman paying the €400 entry fee into the 54-hole Hacienda de Alamo Open, and he shot a seven-under-par total to finish 14 strokes behind the runaway winner – his brother Lloyd.
Both came through the European Tour qualifying school last November and Lloyd, 15th in the 2005 Open at St Andrews as an amateur, had rounds of 65, 64 and 66 to take the title by 13 shots.
Saltman received his ban for what was deemed a “serious breach” of the rules during a Challenge Tour event in Russia last year. He was accused by both of his playing partners of not replacing his ball-marker correctly on a number of occasions. He has been given 28 days to lodge an appeal against the decision of the Tour’s tournament committee.
First Round Scores
(Irish in bold, British unless stated, par 72)
69 – R Goosen (Rsa).
70 – R Karlsson (Swe), R Finch, D Fichardt (Rsa).
71 – T Aiken (Rsa), M Brier (Aut), S Benson, O Fisher.
72 – P Hanson (Swe), J Kingston (Rsa), S Gallacher, I Poulter, S Dyson, Peter Lawrie, B Dredge.
73 – G Orr, S Garcia (Spn), S O’Hara, R Rock, G Boyd, L Westwood, G Havret (Fra), J-B Gonnet (Fra), JM Singh (Ind), L Oosthuizen (Rsa), D Lynn, R Gonzalez (Arg), MA Jimenez (Spn), I Garrido (Spn), T Goya (Arg), M Foster.
74 – RJ Derksen (Ned), S-yul Noh (Kor), Damien McGrane, S Hansen (Den), O Wilson, T Jaidee (Tha), T Bjorn (Den), M Jonzon (Swe), Michael Hoey, C Cevaer (Fra), J Huldahl (Den), D Horsey, A Coltart, P Lawrie, J Donaldson, P Casey, B Lane.
75 – J Haeggman (Swe), R Ramsay, S Webster, P Whiteford, D Howell, M Siem (Ger), P Price, T Hamilton (US), K Ferrie, M Brown (NZ), A Quiros (Spn), G Storm, A Wall, J-M Olazabal (Spn), J Sjoholm (Swe), G Bourdy (Fra), B Wiesberger (Aut).
76 – S Stricker (US), M Wiegele (Aut), H Otto (Rsa), C Wood, J Parry, S Kapur (Ind), A Hansen (Den), J Bickerton, R Jacquelin (Fra), D Lee (NZ), B Rumford (Aus), A Noren (Swe), D Dixon, P Martin (Spn).
77 – S Kjeldsen (Den), A Velasco (Spn), N Dougherty, M Kaymer (Ger), S Wakefield, F Aguilar (Chi), J Daly (US), S Dodd, R Wattel (Fra), Paul McGinley, H Stenson (Swe), F Andersson Hed (Swe).
78 – F De Vries (Ned), L Bond, M Lafeber (Ned), D Willett, Darren Clarke, P Hedblom (Swe), P Larrazabal (Spn), P Broadhurst, J Morrison, A Kang (US), T Olesen (Den), M Haines, G Fdez-Castano (Spn), R McGowan.
79 – R Bland, M Campbell (Nzl), R Coles, P Waring, J Luiten (Ned), S Strange (Aus), R McEvoy, N Colsaerts (Bel), O Floren (Swe).
80 – R Fisher, R Davies, R Echenique (Arg), A Dodt (Aus), J Edfors (Swe), T Levet (Fra).
81 – R Muntz (Ned), S Khan, JM Lara (Spn).
83 – A Canizares (Spn).
Retired– Richard Sterne (Rsa).
(Play was suspended due to darkness with seven players still to finish)
