At Valhalla, Martin Kaymer was on the sidelines as the US won the Ryder Cup. Two years later the new US PGA champion looks like being a talisman when Europe bid to wrest the cup back at Celtic Manor, Wales, beginning on October 1.

Kaymer just missed out on qualifying for the Ryder Cup in 2008, but captain Nick Faldo invited him to get a taste of the match, the unique atmosphere and to be part of the team meetings. It could be the best decision that the much-maligned skipper Faldo made of his whole tenure in charge of Europe.

Kaymer's victory in a playoff for the season's final major against Bubba Watson, showed his credentials for the match play format - and though a Ryder rookie, he already knows well what he will face.

Having "lost" the first of the three extra holes, Kaymer squared the "match" at the second and calmly played the percentages with his American opponent in trouble to secure his first major victory.

Kaymer remained calm and calculated under extreme pressure, just what will be required in the cauldron of emotion and nationalistic pride that will be Celtic Manor.

If fate dictates that he faces Watson again in the final day singles, Kaymer will hold a huge psychological upper hand.

Kaymer has matured into such a tough and accomplished competitor, now ranked five in the world, that it is hard to believe it's just four years since he joined the European Tour, and two years and seven months since he burst into the spotlight with a maiden victory in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

He followed up by being runner-up in Dubai two weeks later with only a Tiger Woods at the height of his powers ahead.

He lifted the falcon trophy again earlier this year, joining potential Ryder Cup teammate Paul Casey as the only men to achieve the Abu Dhabi double.

So how has a man, seemingly without the raw talent and flair of a Garcia, McIlroy or Villegas, got to that major win first?

Put simply, win or lose, Kaymer learns from both his successes and failures. And it makes him stronger. A month ago, par at the last three holes would have left him joint second alongside Lee Westwood in the Open. He bogeyed all three. "That for me was very tough," he said.

"That was shocking because I never really screwed up a tournament before. I thought about it for a long time, what the reason was, and that helped me a lot."

Two years ago when only 23, he emotionally triumphed on his home soil in the BMW International Open in Munich while his mother was dying of cancer. She passed away two weeks later.

But it is his PGA victory that will inspire him to the greatest heights. Kaymer said: "This was the toughest field all year and just knowing that I can win like that gives me huge confidence for any other tournament I will play -- for the rest of my career."