Campbell's title

New Zealand junior representative Ben Campbell beat his Masterton clubmate Michael Schofield on the third hole of a playoff required to decide the winner of the 2008 Wairarapa open stroke play golf championship at the Lansdowne course yesterday.
With the first 18 holes on Saturday being abandoned because of the effects of heavy rain, the championship was reduced to 54 holes with Campbell and Schofield being tied on a nine-under 204, Campbell with rounds of 69, 68 and 67 and Schofield with rounds of 69, 70 and 65.
The first hole of the playoff saw Campbell in trouble when he hooked his drive but after "getting a bit lucky" with his second shot he chipped closed enough to the hole to make a birdie.
Schofield, on the other hand, was solid all the way and he too made a birdie.
The second playoff hole was then halved in pars with Campbell's birdie on the third being enough to give the current national under-23 stroke play championship another major title.
His victory capped off a memorable week for him as he had been crowned 2007-08 Wairarapa Sports Personality of the Year on Wednesday night and was the ideal dress rehearsal for his Australian Junior Masters bid, starting in Perth next week.
The Wairarapa open championship was dominated by Masterton club members with Jeff Tuoro placing third and Harry Bateman fourth while Murray Wolland won the intermediate title.