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ADARE, Ireland - New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell will look to turn around a dismal run of form by looking to the past at the Irish Open this week.
Campbell has returned to the European Tour fresh from missing the halfway cut in the PGA Tour's Players Championship in the United States.
He also arrived on the rain-soaked Irish west coast having slid from No 21 to No 63 in the world rankings since last December.
He is in need of a pick-me-up and does not need to look far to boost his confidence. He won the Irish Open in 2003, a year after winning the European Open at the K Club just south of Dublin.
"Every time I come to Ireland I have great memories of my two victories," Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion said today.
"Apart from New Zealand and Australia, Ireland is the only other country where I have won more than once and that is very special to me.
"It's always nice coming back to any country or any tournament where you have won before and you can draw on all the wonderful and positive thoughts from those previous wins."
At 6815m, Adare Manor is the longest course in Irish Open history and the fifth longest to play host to a European Tour event.
Adding to its toughness has been rain this week and the promise of more rain over the course of the tournament, which starts tonight (NZT).
"The course was a lot drier and harder when we played it in July two years ago but in saying that, I like the course very much and I'm looking forward to the week," Campbell said.
"My scores might not have been the best last week but I feel as though I am very close to winning again.
"The Players Championship was no indication really as Thursday was played in really tough conditions and it was blowing 30 knots and I thought I played great but shot three-over-par.
"But forget about that as I am pretty excited about this week. I know how to win this event and I know how to win in Ireland and that's what I will be thinking about."
The Irish Open is the first of three consecutive European events for Campbell.
He will contest next week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in England ahead of the Wales Open.
"I have three events in a row in Europe and I am looking forward to all three and besides I will also get to stay at home for the next two events," he said.
"I will then have a week off and head to the US Open at Oakmont but I am not even thinking about the US Open at this stage and all I am focusing is these three weeks in Europe."
- NZPA
