Talk about German efficiency.

Germany's Martin Kaymer broke records galore, sustaining an early record-setting spree to win the 114th US Open by eight shots over Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton at Pinehurst. He shot a final round of 69 to finish nine under par.

The 29-year-old German from Düsseldorf becomes the first continental European to win the top prize in US golfing and talk is getting louder that the next Tiger Woods is well and truly here.

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"I didn't make many mistakes the last two wins that I had in America--especially this week," said Kaymer, who improved to No. 11 in the world.

Kaymer finished at 9-under 271, the second-lowest score in US Open history next to Rory McIlroy's 268 at Congressional in 2011. He becomes only the seventh wire-to-wire winner in 114 years of the U.S. Open.

Kaymer was so dominant no one got closer than four shots over the final 48 holes.

He set the US Open record on the tournament's first day with back-to-back rounds of 65 to set the pace at 10-under 130. He began Sunday with a five-shot lead.

"He kind of killed the event in the first two days," Henrik Stenson said. "He went out and shot two 65s and left everyone in the dust."

The US Open victory was Kaymer's second major after the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Kaymer joins Spain's Seve Ballesteros, Ireland's Ernie Els, Woods and McIlroy as the only players to win two majors and be No. 1 in the world before turning 30 since the world rankings began in 1986.

He is also the fourth European in the last five years to win the U.S. Open, after Europeans had gone 40 years without this title.

Kaymer was mentored by Bernhard Langer, the two-time Masters champion who is also a German.

"We've almost a German Grand Slam--almost," Kaymer said. "I hope it will make Bernhard proud. I'm sure it will make all of Germany proud."

The church bells from Pinehurst's village chapel played Beethoven's Ode to Joy as Kaymer stepped towards the first tee on Sunday afternoon, seen as a glorious forecast for Kaymer's ensuing win.

TagsMartin Kaymer, winning