Golf: Campbell crashes, then disqualified

12.25pm

It went from bad to worse for New Zealand's Michael Campbell today when he crashed to a 17 over in the first round of the Players Championship golf tournament at the Sawgrass Stadium Course in Florida and then was disqualified for signing in an incorrect score.

Campbell finished a horror round of 89, one of his worst scores since he turned professional, but signed in an 87 at the course.

He pulled out of last weekend's Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando with a shoulder injury after playing just three holes.

Campbell started the day in this $11.9 million tournament with a double bogey, made the turn eight over par then shot another double bogey on the par-4 10th.

Six consecutive bogeys followed for the hapless Wellington player before he managed a par and then a birdie to complete his round.

Defending champion Craig Perks, also of New Zealand, was two under after 13 holes and the other New Zealander in the tournament, Phil Tataurangi, was one over after 12 when thunderstorms halted play.

Perks bogeyed the second and sixth and birdied the fifth, ninth, 11th and 12th.

Former PGA champion Bob Tway headed a group of five players sharing the early first-round clubhouse lead.

Tway, Jay Haas, Skip Kendall and Rocco Mediate and Kevin Sutherland each shot four-under-par at the Sawgrass Stadium Course. Stewart Cink is a stroke back at three-under 69, while Australian Robert Allenby and twice major winner John Daly are in at two-under 70.

World No 1 Tiger Woods, shooting for his fourth win of the 2003 season and his third straight, birdied two of the final three holes to salvage an even-par 72.

Tway, who won the 1986 PGA and is seeking his first PGA Tour win since 1995, carded seven birdies and three bogeys on the day. Haas, 49, posted five birdies and a bogey, while Kendall and Mediate each turned in bogey-free rounds.

On Thursday morning, Scott Hoch withdrew due to a sore wrist that has hampered his play for over a month. Early first-round play was delayed by thundershowers.

Campbell hit an 8-iron to 6ft on the 18th and holed the putt for his only birdie of the day.

He injured his left shoulder while toting his suitcase a few weeks ago, and he still hasn't recovered.

"I was feeling comfortable on the range," he said.

"As soon as I hit a few bad shots, my confidence went to pieces."

The good news?

"I finished strong," he said with a smile. "I at least had to break 90."

Leading first-round scores (USA unless noted, play suspended due to rain with 68 players still on the course, round to resume tomorrow):


68: Jay Haas, Skip Kendall, Rocco Mediate, Bob Tway

69: Stewart Cink

70: Robert Allenby (AUS), John Daly, Matt Gogel

71: Billy Andrade, Stuart Appleby (AUS), Darren Clarke (NIR), Steve Flesch, Robert Gamez, Sergio Garcia (SPA), Tim Herron, Glen Hnatiuk (CAN), Paul Lawrie (GBR), Jeff Maggert, Shaun Micheel, Joey Sindelar, Scott Verplank

72: Mike Weir (CAN)

73: Stephen Ames (TRI), Retief Goosen (RSA), Peter Lonard (AUS), Craig Parry (AUS), Nick Price (ZIM), Eduardo Romero (ARG)

74: Thomas Levet (FRA)

75: Greg Chalmers (AUS), Steve Elkington (AUS)

76: Fulton Allem (RSA), Jose Coceres (ARG), Jesper Parnevik (SWE)

77: Rodney Pampling (AUS), Hidemichi Tanaka (JPN)

78: Stephen Leaney (AUS), Greg Norman (AUS)

79: Trevor Immelman (RSA)

Ian Leggatt (CAN) WD

Michael Campbell (NZ) DQ