NZ Herald golf reporter Will Toogood is taken through the ins and outs of one of the fastest games around by former World Champion Robin Smith. Video / Alex Cairns
The 33-year-old Queenstown local will join two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and former PGA Tour players Peter Uihlein and Matthew Wolff on LIV Golf’s RangeGoats GC team for the 2025 season.
“It’s a nice phone call to get, I got over here today and played with the guys, got given the bag and everything today so it’s sort of finally sinking in now,” he tells the Herald.
Campbell was the top-ranked non-LIV player on the 2024 International Series season-long points standings, finishing third behind winner Joaquin Niemann, captain of the Torque GC LIV team, and second-placed Uihlein.
Being the top ranked outright would have earned him a guaranteed LIV card, but finishing third meant discussions took place as the RangeGoats needed to fill a spot on their team after Thomas Pieters was traded to the 4Aces.
“I talked to Bubba and the RangeGoats a little bit, they needed to fill a spot, and I ended up getting it.”
Campbell’s 2024 season was highlighted by a win at the International Series Morocco, a second place at the Link Hong Kong Open, and four other top-10 finishes during the 10-event International Series schedule, the elevated events on the Asian Tour that are supported by LIV Golf and offer a pathway to the league.
Amongst that success, Campbell also joined LIV as a reserve player, including one start for Majesticks GC, where he shot 5 under to tie for 37th.
All smiles for Ben Campbell in Morocco after his International Series win. Photo / Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.
The Kiwi will therefore not be daunted at the prospect of teeing it up with the likes of Watson and the other big names on the LIV tour.
“I played with him in Indonesia at the end of last year, today I shared the cart with him and we played 18 holes ... we’ve had a few dinners and things like that. He’s a pretty easy- going guy and seems pretty easy to get along with,” says Campbell.
That experience as a reserve will be invaluable for Campbell in speeding up his adjustment to life as a LIV Golf player.
“It was great spending the year out on LIV last year, even though I was a reserve. You went through the paces and saw a lot of the courses that we’re going to be playing again this year and just got to know how everything runs and how the teams run and things like that.
“I don’t think it will be a lot different [this year], I think preparation will be very much the same but it’s just great to be teeing it up every week.”
Ben Campbell's first chance to tee it up as full LIV Golf member will be in Riyadh in February. Photo / Getty Images
The teams element to the LIV Golf competition is what makes the league unique from other tours, along with the 54-hole format and shotgun starts.
Campbell says how each team operates is different, but the RangeGoats seem to strike a balance between spending time apart and together during competition.
“I hung out with a few of the teams last year. Some teams do everything together and some don’t, I think the RangeGoats are somewhere in the middle there. They seem to play practice rounds together and things like that, so I think I’ll just figure that out over the next few weeks.
“It’s been great so far. We’ve had a couple of team dinners and I get along well with the guys. I’ve known Peter Uihlein for a while and get along well with Pete and have spent a bit of time with Matt and I get along well with them which obviously makes a massive help.”
Campbell joins LIV as the second New Zealander on tour, with Danny Lee having re-signed with his team Iron Heads GC. Lee enjoyed early success at LIV, winning the Tucson event in 2023 and with it $6.38 million in prizemoney.
Campbell says he’s not yet caught up with Lee but looks forward to doing so as the LIV season gets under way.
“I haven’t seen Danny yet but I’m sure I’ll see him, especially at the first couple of events but I’m sure I will soon.”
The fist LIV Golf event of 2025 is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 6, with Campbell saying he is still unsure if he will tee it up in competition before then - needing to adjust his schedule over the next couple of weeks.
Will Toogood is an online sports editor and golf reporter for the NZ Herald. He enjoys watching people chase a ball around on a grass surface so much he decided to make a living out of it.
