'I'm Not Flying From Europe To Have A New York Strip With You Guys... Of Course I'm Playing' - Why An Innocent Question At The Champions Dinner Gave Martin Kaymer Extra Motivation For 2026 PGA
The two-time Major champion revealed his added motivation after being asked if he was even in the field this week by a PGA member
Martin Kaymer carded a three-under-par 67 on Thursday at Aronimink to co-lead after day one of the 2026 PGA Championship, and he was especially motivated after a comment he received at the champions dinner earlier this week.
The 2010 PGA Champion at Whistling Straits, who went on to win his second Major at the 2014 US Open, has been playing in the LIV Golf League since 2022 as captain of the all-European Cleeks GC team.
He currently ranks 1,160th in the world and has not had a top-10 in a Major since this championship a decade ago.
It appears one PGA member is not a LIV Golf fan after questioning if the former World No.1 was even in the field this week, as Martin Kaymer revealed after his round.
"On Tuesday evening we had the champion's dinner, and there was a gentleman sitting next to me from the PGA of America, and he asked me if I I still play," Kaymer told media after his 67.
"And I said, What do you mean? He said, Well, are you playing this week?
"And I said, Yeah, that's why I'm here. I'm not flying from Europe to here to have a New York strip with you guys, you know, of course I'm playing.
"And that really motivated me."
Kaymer has struggled with injuries in recent years, undergoing wrist surgery in 2022 after years of pain. He played just three LIV events in 2023 and then only five in 2024.
He also recently struggled with an elbow injury, which forced him to withdraw from LIV's popular Adelaide event.
"For five years, yeah," he said on his injuries, before admitting the lack of practice he was able to put in 'pissed me off.'
"I've been struggling since 2021. And obviously I had a couple surgeries then and other issues came with it the years after.
"And it was quite disappointing for me that playing out there on the LIV Golf league I could never really perform, because I could never really practice, because I was always hurt.
Kaymer beat Bubba Watson in a playoff to win the 2010 PGA Championship
"Obviously we all need to play the tournaments, and I didn't really have enough time and enough rest in between events to rest, to have a fully rest. So I always came into tournaments never prepared.
"The other guys were ready to play. They were playing great. To be honest, it really pissed me off.
"So fortunately last four, five weeks I had great treatments, I have no pain any more. Everything is going the right direction.
"I can practice. It's fun. I have a great passion for the game. Playing those tough golf courses and doing well executing the golf shots the right way, that is really fun."
