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Former British Open champion Ian Baker-Finch fears Michael Campbell is sliding towards the same trap that prematurely ended the Australian's career.
Baker-Finch sounded the alarm bells after speaking to Campbell at a function ahead of the Australian Masters starting today.
"When I spoke to Cambo at the dinner last night it seemed to me that he was more about redeeming himself, finding his form and wanting to play well again," Baker-Finch said.
"What I was hearing was a tape recording of my own mindset some 12, 14 or 15 years ago."
Baker-Finch found a role in the commentary booth after his game deserted him following his victory at the 1991 British Open, forcing his premature retirement.
Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion, has seen his world ranking slide from 22nd at the start of this year to 152nd.
Baker-Finch said Campbell should forget about talk of winning another major. "Michael Campbell should just be doing what he does best and if he should win another major so be it," he said.
"He should stop worrying about results because for some of the guys out here on the tours, being the best you can be is not about winning.
"You just can't push it because that's exactly what I did. I thought to myself 'okay I've won one major so now I have to set my sights on winning a second major'.
"What I should have been saying to myself is that if I happen to win again then that is a bonus and if I was to win another major, then I got bloody lucky again. Instead I was always trying to be the British Open champion and I got out of my own comfort zone then I started to wonder what I was doing wrong, and I soon began wanting to change aspects of my game."
Campbell is one of seven Kiwis in the 156-player field, among them Michael Long, Gareth Paddison, Mahal Pearce and Josh Carmichael.
- NZPA
