Phil Tataurangi: Campbell - the man who could do no wrong

Phil Tataurangi

There were several defining moments in Michael Campbell's win at Pinehurst No 2.

The tee shot on the first and the subsequent birdie were vital.

It has been a while since Michael has been in that situation, but when he has that air of confidence he is capable of anything.

I had no doubts that when he went to the first tee yesterday he was not going to shoot himself in the foot.

That birdie on the first after a good drive showed his long game was back in nick. At the time of the New Zealand Open this year he was struggling with his long game.

There is a fine line between hitting the shot you want and making a birdie. That [birdie] set up his day.

The birdie on 17, too, was important but perhaps not as important as the one he fired on 12. That gave him a buffer and forced Tiger Woods' hand. It probably led to Tiger's bogey on 16 and his mistake on 17 where he three-putted.

When Michael came to 17 he was able to answer Tiger's birdie on 18 with one of his own.

But it was more than just a battle between Campbell and the course. Heaps of pro-Tiger fans were giving him a hard time. The American crowds can be brutal, especially if non-Americans are in with a chance.

Standing on the 18th tee with a three-shot lead, Michael was in control. Even Cambo in a drunken stupor would have got the ball up the 18th.

Pulling his drive into the rough was the best thing for him - it kept him in the moment. If he had played it straight up the fairway he could have let his mind wander. By going into the rough he had to make up his mind what he had to do.

If you are walking straight up to your ball it gives you too much time to think about other things. He played out of the rough and his pitch to the green was magnificent.

There were some suggestions he might not have known what the situation was, but you can be sure his caddy knew exactly what was going on.

Michael had a couple of quick looks at the leaderboard and in that situation [on the 18th] your caddy will strongly advise you what to do. It would be a poor job if Michael Waite did not know exactly what the situation was when they were on the 18th tee.

The US Open is the hardest golf tournament in the world to win. It does not play like any other course, and

Pinehurst No 2 is especially difficult. You face five or six options with every pitch shot.

Michael's win is a huge boost for New Zealand golf. As Jack Nicklaus once said, "You don't choose the US Open, it chooses you".

The respect Michael will get from his peers and the golf community will be immense, for him and for the game in New Zealand. This win takes him and it to a different level.

This victory away from home - and I was rubbing it in during my commentary, saying three New Zealanders [Campbell, Waite and Woods' caddy Steve Williams] are taking over this show - was totally different from winning the America's Cup or the All Blacks winning a test at home.

This guy was on the world stage. You don't get to see the best in the world by staying at home.

* Phil Tataurangi, a regular columnist for the Herald, is a former winner on the US Tour.