He's sunk the decisive putt at a Ryder Cup, the 2012 Miracle of Medinah, while his game and confidence was in tatters to boot.
The team of Kim and Mickelson tied the Europeans Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson in the morning foursomes matches, with Kim sinking a decisive putt on the 18th hole.
But Kaymer's achievements are already pretty stunning: a PGA Championship, time spent as world number one, the decisive putt at a Ryder Cup, and an unofficial "fifth major" in the Players.
That still might not be enough to win a US Open, of course, but he's won a PGA in a play-off, knocked in the decisive putt at a Ryder Cup, and pulled himself out of a tailspin to win the unofficial fifth major last month.
"On 16, I told myself, 'I'll make birdie and then I'll birdie one of the last two.' " The other Mickelson, the one who sadly finished second by a stroke to Payne Stewart in the 1999 United States Open and to David Toms in the 2001 P.G.A. Championship, would have wondered yesterday when he would make the fatal bogey or would miss the decisive putt.
Kaymer struck the decisive putt at Medinah in 2012 and is desperate to play for the Irish skipper at Gleneagles.
In the Open just gone it was Els's belly putter that sank the decisive putt to thwart Scott and his broom-handle implement.
At the 2012 Open in July, Ernie Els sank the decisive putt with his belly putter to thwart Adam Scott and his broomhandle version.
Winning a thrilling tournament, and prevailing against tremendous competition, O'Meara won the Masters today by one stroke with his decisive birdie putt on the final hole.
He then proceeded to make a shushing motion to the crowd, some of whom had already been taunting him that morning for his decisive missed putt from two feet the day before.
There was the odd example of such conduct here on Sunday – including one particularly asinine individual who on the first tee taunted Reed for his decisive missed putt the previous day – but on the whole there was respect amid the roars.
