KEY POINTS:
Michael Campbell is determined to regain his leading New Zealand golfer status when he tees up in the BMW Asian Open in China this week.
Campbell joins compatriots Mark Brown, Stephen Scahill and Richard Lee in the co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour event starting at the Tomson Golf Club course in suburban Shanghai today.
The struggling Wellingtonian is languishing at 237th on the European Order of Merit with earnings of just ¬9482 ($19,683).
His world ranking has also nose-dived to 277.
In contrast, Brown is riding high at 13th on the European money list with prizemoney of ¬405,579 and has climbed to a world ranking of 58.
That was boosted by a fifth placing in last week's China Open.
"We all knew that Mark was a great prospect and he'd showed that in winning two events in India," Campbell said.
"I caught up with him last month when we played in Malaysia to congratulate him and it's good to know that we now have something in common as we've both won Johnnie Walker Classics but I'm just glad I got in before him.
"But it's great for New Zealand golf that there's now two Kiwi names on that trophy and hopefully one of us can also win this week."
Campbell said the pair shared a friendship but, like any other golfers, they were fierce on-course rivals.
"I know he's well ahead of me on the Order or Merit and the world rankings and rightly so because Mark's had a fantastic year but I'm determined to get back up there and get back to being New Zealand's leading golfer."
Brown burst on to the international golfing stage last month when he won the Johnnie Walker Classic in India.
It ended a remarkable week for Brown who had won his maiden Asian Tour title the previous Sunday when he claimed the SAIL Open, also in India.
In contrast, Campbell's season has been lurching, most notably when he carded three successive rounds in the 80s ahead of this month's Masters at Augusta.
Campbell then missed an eighth successive cut at the Masters but left far from disappointed.
"I was very pleased with the way I played at Augusta and to shoot 71 on the Friday and break par in those tough conditions was very encouraging," he said.
"I felt as though I turned a very big corner even though it was tough knowing that I wasn't playing the final two rounds. But I've had a week at home continuing to work hard on my game and I'm really looking forward to the event."
Joining the three New Zealanders in Shanghai are former double US Open winner Retief Goosen of South Africa and British Open champions Greg Norman and Paul Lawrie.
- NZPA
