For Martin Kaymer it was not enough for the first win in seven years.

The 36-year-old Rhinelander had to settle for second place at the BMW International Open at the Munich Eichenried Golf Club behind 23-year-old Norwegian star Viktor Hovland, who was two strokes behind.

But what the Duesseldorf player achieved on the final day of the 32nd edition of this traditional tournament, endowed with 1.5 million euros, in front of only 400 invited guests with his splendid final round of 64 strokes, makes him look to the future with confidence: “I have them Played well all week, but the putter was a little cold. Today it was hot. I'm happy that I got so many birdies, ”said Kaymer. Above all, the birdie putt from four meters on the 18th hole put the Germans, who only ranked 99th in the world rankings, in high spirits: “These are the putts that you have to transform to win a tournament. I haven't punched putts like that in a long time. "

With this birdie, he briefly drew level with Hovland, who was on the 13th tee at this time.

But the pro from Oslo managed the first of three birdies on the last six holes on this hole, which in the end brought him his first victory on the European Tour with a total of 271 strokes (68 + 67 + 64 + 70/19 under par) brought in the first prize money of almost 230,000 euros.

Hovland is the first Norwegian to win this tournament series.

"It was 17 holes very solid"

After 54 holes, Kaymer was in eleventh place eight shots behind the front runner Hovland, an almost impossible lead. After three laps, Kaymer wasn't even the best German. Before the final round, that was surprisingly amateur Matthias Schmid from Maxhütte-Haidhof. The two-time amateur European champion fell back to shared 14th place on Sunday after a final round of 71 and a total of 277 strokes. Nevertheless, the man from Upper Palatinate seems well equipped for a professional career, which he wants to start after his second participation in the British Open.

Although Kaymer had little chance of winning on Saturday, he was satisfied with his game after the third round: “It was 17 holes very solid, I only lost three or four holes on the field on one hole.

With a par I would have been fully in the tournament.

But I focused on the bigger picture.

In order to get to the top on Sunday, I need a round of seven or eight under par, ”said the man from Düsseldorf.

And that's exactly what he did with his final round, in which he scored ten birdies, but also missed two bogeys (on the 1st and 17th holes).

Kaymer turned out to be a fair loser.

After watching Hovland secure his victory on television in the clubhouse, he went to the 18th green to congratulate his young colleague.

The two walked arm in arm for a while - and many wondered what roles the two would play again at the Ryder Cup in Whistling Straits, Wisconsin in late September. Kaymer was appointed to one of the four vice-captains by Irish captain Pádraig Harrington on Wednesday, but after the grandiose final performance the German hopes to play for the fifth time as a player for Europe against the twelve best of "Team USA".