Tuesday 18 November 2014 13:47, UK
Martin Kaymer has defended his decision to join the list of top European players in missing next week's Seve Trophy.
The German, who holed the putt that retained the Ryder Cup for Europe in the "Miracle at Medinah", insisted he could not find room in his schedule to compete in the match play contest.
Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter have all made themselves unavailable to represent the Great Britain and Ireland team in Paris, and Kaymer has confirmed he will not be playing for Continental Europe.
"I played a lot of tournaments the last few weeks and there are very, very important tournaments coming up," said Kaymer ahead of this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
"If you play too much you enter tournaments at only 80 per cent. For my caddie, the people I work with and myself, it's not fair if you enter tournaments where you can't be your best.
"Seve's name definitely does play a role but unfortunately I never had the pleasure of meeting him.
"Jose Maria Olazabal asked me if I could play in the middle of the season and I said I would like to, but let me see if I'm going to win here and there, then there's a better possibility.
"But I haven't been satisified with myself this season, so that's why I need to focus on myself right now.
"I can't do my best for the team right now and I'm sure other people are more motivated to play. It's nothing really to do that I don't like Seve."
