Golf: Campbell hangs on to great Scott

New Zealand's Michael Campbell is still well placed to end a winless drought of nearly two years, although he must now counter the brilliant form of Australia's Adam Scott who led by four strokes - six ahead of Campbell - after the second round of the Johnnie Walker Classic golf tournament in China yesterday.

Campbell has finally displayed a touch of the form that has earned him more than a dozen victories around the globe by moving to nine under in the European Tour event at the Pine Valley course.

He added a superb seven-under 65 to his earlier round of 70 but then saw Scott surge away with a six-under 66 in his second round.

Scott's 15-under total of 129 matched the tournament record for the first 36 holes, set by South African Ernie Els in 2003.

Scott set a course record in Beijing with a 63 in the opening round.

American Gary Rusnak fired a 65 to move into second on 11 under, with South Africa's Richard Sterne a further shot off the pace after a 66.

US Open champion Retief Goosen, Campbell and Swede Peter Hanson were together at nine under.

"I'm going to have to be aggressive if I want to stay out in front," said Scott, currently ranked 10th in the world.

"I'd like to keep out in front and have all the pressure on them to come and catch me. It was dead calm this morning. I took advantage of that and did a pretty good job."

The 24-year-old is chasing his ninth career victory, with his most significant to date coming at last year's Players Championship, widely regarded as the sport's fifth major.

World number three Els, Spain's Sergio Garcia and Briton Colin Montgomerie were all at six under. After a miserable start to his new season, Campbell ignited his charge with an outward second round that included four birdies.

After a ninth-hole bogey, Campbell then picked up a further four birdies to end tied atop of the board.

"After my start to the season, it is nice to come back after a month's break and play well," he said.

"I have made a few changes to my playing structure, so to say, in that I have employed my coach.

"Jonathon Yarwood is full time and he will be working exclusively with me this year."

Campbell said he travelled to Orlando during his break from competition to work out with Yarwood.

"I just feel that it will benefit my game in the long run, that he is there by my side week in and week out while I am playing in Europe."

Meanwhile there could be another Michael Campbell in the wings in the form of Wellington teenager Perry Hayman.

The strapping 16-year-old has impressed many this week, finishing in a share of seventh at the strokeplay and making it through to the second round of matchplay at the New Zealand Amateur Championships in Palmerston North.

However, today's final will be an all-Australian affair for the second year in a row, with Mitchell Brown (NSW) taking on Andrew Dodt (Queensland) in the 36-hole final.

Hayman comes from the same Titahi Bay club as Campbell. He played a lead hand in the New Zealand junior team against Australia last year, and has impressed with his prodigious distance.

- AGENCIES