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The eagle has landed: Martin Kaymer holds aloft his trophy in Abu Dhabi Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Late charge: Kaymer won the Abu Dhabi Championship after his birdie on the final hole Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Martin Kaymer matched Poulter’s 66 and birdied the final hole to win the Abu Dhabi Championship by one shot. The German, who is only just 25, has the talent and mind to be one of the greats of the modern game.

Rory McIlroy could not quite live with the top two. He put two early drives into left- hand bunker, left putts short and generally seemed to be looking up to Poulter and Kaymer. There is no shame in that. When Kaymer was McIlroy’s age, he was a far more nervous performer on the final day.

Kaymer now finishes like a champion and he was not cowed by Poulter’s impressive, strutting confidence. When Poulter birdied the 11th and 12th holes he took the lead and looked like a winner. Poulter still looked like a winner when he walked off the 18th green, but by then Kaymer was in front again.

The German holed a crucial 12-foot putt for par on the 17th. Those are the putts that Tiger Woods always makes and the German is starting to emulate him. He said: “You will have to ask Ian Poulter if he was a little bit ------ off (by it), but it helped me. If you make those big putts at the right time it gives you big-time momentum.”

Poulter shrugged and said he was more annoyed at leaving his own birdie putt short. The 34-year-old Englishman is more impressive each year, as much as a man as a golfer. He said after his round: “I would have liked to have stamped down my foot a little harder, but I’m comfortable, I’m confident.

“I’m happy with every part of my game, happy at home, the kids are getting on great at school, we’ve got a new puppy and I’m happy going out there and hitting golf balls. What more can you want when other parts of the world are suffering right now? You realise how fortunate you are to be in this situation playing golf in the sunshine and earning an awful lot of money.”

The golf played by Poulter, Kaymer and McIlroy, who was round in 67, was so good that it just added to the sense of a gathering European storm. Kaymer has now won three of his last 10 tournaments, finished second twice and had two other top-10s. Poulter’s record is nearly as good.

Asked if Europe was catching America Poulter said: “Look at the world rankings (where Kaymer is up to sixth and Poulter in the top 10 for the first time). The Europeans are pushing a lot of weight. It bodes well for the Ryder Cup. If some of the rookies can make the side and give Colin Montgomerie less of a headache, it will be a fun October.”

There is no longer a hope that a European will win a major, there is an expectation. Five months ago eight Europeans from seven different countries finished in the top 10 of America’s PGA Championship. In November Lee Westwood played some of the best golf seen from a British player since Nick Faldo was in his pomp. On Sunday Kaymer and Poulter put on a show.

The whingeing from across the Atlantic has already started. As the Bob Hope Classic sags to carry no-names like Alex Prugh, Martin Flores, Chad Collins and, yes, Derek Lamely, some of the players are already calling for the introduction of protectionism.

It is a dismal bleat as Scott McCarron and his cronies try to stop the likes of Anthony Kim playing in Europe. The United States dominates for great parts of the golfing year, it still has three of the four majors, but in January, July and at the end of the year, the European Tour rules. Now Kaymer and Europe need to impose themselves on the majors.