Martin Kaymer Earns No. 1 Ranking, Ousts Bubba Watson In Semifinal Of Accenture Match Play Championship

On Saturday, Martin Kaymer outlasted Bubba Watson in a hard-fought Accenture Match Play Championship semifinal, and with the 1-up win, the German will be rewarded with the world No. 1 ranking. Kaymer will be the top-ranked golfer in the world, regardless of whether he wins the tournament final against Luke Donald on Sunday.

It was a familiar pairing, as Kaymer won the 2010 PGA Championship after a three-hole playoff with Watson. Kaymer was met with another strong challenge from Watson on Saturday, and needed a rally on the back nine to seal the win. He pulled ahead with a birdie on the 15th hole, and benefited further from a Watson bogey on the 16th. Watson managed to shoot birdie to give himself a fighting chance on the 18th, but both shot even and Kaymer emerged with the win.

As Kaymer was ranked No. 2 entering the day, he figures to switch places with Lee Westwood, the former No. 1. Kaymer has earned his place in the top echelon of all-time German golfers. He’s only the second German to earn the No. 1 ranking.

If Kaymer can manage a win against Luke Donald on Sunday, he will have the 18th win of his professional career.

You can view the full Accenture Match Play Championship bracket here. Follow along with this StoryStream for further updates. And for all things golf, be sure to check out SB Nation’s golf blog, Waggle Room.