Martin Kaymer stays steady amid major PGA insanity

On the weirdest major championship Sunday in years, if not decades, one golfer stood strong through 72 holes plus a three-hole playoff. And although he's not as well-known a name on United States shores as the fellas who wear red on Sundays and prowl donut shops after their wins, he's nonetheless a deserving winner.

Martin Kaymer -- seen here just before plunging into one of Whistling Straits' many invisible bunkers -- currently stands fifth in the Official World Golf Rankings, and the way he played on Sunday, it's not inconceivable that he'll pass Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Steve Stricker before long. Kaymer demonstrated both power and grace, strategy and touch, en route to posting an 11-under round and holding off Bubba Watson for the Wanamaker Trophy. It wasn't easy, but Kaymer made it look that way.

Kaymer, a German who earlier this summer wore his country's soccer uniform during a tournament played during the World Cup, is one of Europe's best players. Until now, he was best known stateside for wrecking his go-kart and destroying his chances in the 2009 Race to Dubai. And even now, he's likely to be a trivia question answer -- as in, "Who won that PGA Championship where Dustin Johnson got hosed by the rules?"

But that's for the future. For now, the 2010 major season is over and done with, and it closed off in fine fashion. Congrats to Martin Kaymer, and congrats to Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson, too. All three earned new fans on Sunday afternoon, and all three deserve them.