Golf: Campbell four under at halfway

TROON: Michael Campbell remained in great shape late last night to challenge for his first British Open title.

The New Zealand No 1 fired an even-par second round of 71 in ever-increasing blustery sea breezes at Royal Troon to be the early clubhouse leader at four-under after 36 holes.

Campbell had birdies on the first and eighth holes, but was foiled by the thick rough and some narrow missed putts. First-round leaders Paul Casey, of Britain, and Frenchman Thomas Levet had yet to tee off.

They had fired 66s, one more than Campbell.

Campbell's second round included three birdies and three bogeys, and he parred his last five holes.

It was easily his best start to an Open since 1995 when he led going into the final round before finishing third.

"I woke up thinking even par would be a great score today. With the breeze you had to be extremely patient," Campbell said.

"The course is really showing its teeth, it's very difficult out there. I was hitting what I thought were great shots and they were still 10m away.

"To be four-under after two rounds of the Open is fantastic."

Campbell was holding off the challenge of several big names in the early groupings, with Canadian Mike Weir and South African Retief Goosen ending their second rounds three-under.

Campbell started the round in best possible style, having a birdie on the par-four first to immediately draw level with the overnight leaders.

But he gave a shot back on the very next hole with a bogey five.

He played the next five holes to par, then made his move again on the course's signature hole, the par-three eighth known as the Postage Stamp, which tournament favourite Ernie Els holed in one in the opening round.

Campbell bounced a wedge off the bank on the left side to within three metres, and he sank the curling putt to draw back to five-under.

He then had two bogeys after finding trouble in the rough, but recovered with a birdie on the 13th and held his nerve with some gutsy par saves.

Campbell's two rounds declared the beginning of a new phase of his career.

They were confirmation his outstanding talent had largely gone to waste through a mix of, in his words, laziness and a lack of passion for the game. "I've now got the hunger back, which was missing for the past couple of years."

- NZPA