Golf: Campbell aims to beat Olympic blues

LONDON - Michael Campbell wants New Zealand to win the Dunhill Cup international teams golf event at St Andrews in Scotland next week as consolation for a disappointing Olympic Games.

"It would be consolation for Sydney where not all our athletes did so well," Campbell said during a friendly round of golf near his Richmond home in London yesterday.

Campbell had his first PGA tour win on European soil at the weekend when he won the German Masters.

The victory put him in the top five on the European order of merit and moved his world ranking up to 18, his best.

"It would be such a thrill to go one better than our previous best Dunhill when we were runner-up to the United States in 1996," Campbell said.

"It will be nice to go to St Andrews with some confidence. I'm happy with my game. It's all coming together. Grant [Waite] and Greg [Turner] are both playing well."

Turner, Waite and Frank Nobilo were the New Zealand team in 1996. Nobilo missed selection this year because he has slipped out of the top 200 world rankings. Turner is ranked 101 and Waite 152.

Campbell said he was having this week off to move house to Brighton, on England's south coast, instead of playing in the World Matchplay championship at Wentworth.

He wanted to miss this week so he could play in the Dunhill tournament because it was one of the few chances to represent New Zealand.

"I'm really looking forward to it. Golf is an individual game and I feel a lot of pride playing for my country," he said.

"I also love St Andrews. I have played well there before and the Old Course brings back special memories for me. It will be great going into the Dunhill on the back of winning the German Masters in Cologne.

"I am feeling good about my game. I'm playing well again after a lull period for a few months. I told my caddie, Michael Waite, last Tuesday that it was time for us to win."

Campbell will play for the Rest of the World against the United States in the President's Cup match in Washington DC before heading back to Wellington with his wife, Julie, and son, Thomas, next month.

- NZPA