KEY POINTS:
Michael Campbell has reached a new career low after recording two straight rounds of 80 to exit the prestigious BMW PGA Championship on the Wentworth course near London.
Campbell's 16-over par tally saw him placed second last in the ¬4.5 million ($9 million) event, two shots shy of last-placed Michael Jonzon of Sweden, who Campbell defeated in a playoff to win the 2003 Irish Open.
Fellow Kiwi Mark Brown also missed the cut after shooting a 71 to fall short by one stroke after a triple-bogey 75 in the first round.
It's the first time in nearly 300 events competing on the European tour that the 2005 US Open champion has recorded back-to-back rounds in the 80s.
Campbell has been no stranger to recording scores above 80 this year, having carded rounds of 81 and 83 five weeks ago in missing the cut in the US PGA Tour's Houston Open.
Campbell's second round in the European Tour flagship event in Surrey once again was a mixture of dropped shots and far too few birdies.
He ended his day with a double bogey after earlier taking eight bogeys including five dropped shots in succession from the ninth hole.
Campbell arrived at Wentworth looking to end a 31-month winless drought since he beat Ireland's Paul McGinley in the final of the 2005 HSBC Match Play Championship on the same England layout.
McGinley, 41, leads this tournament by two strokes. He birdied the 17th before holing a 30-foot eagle putt at the last yesterday to go 13-under par.
New Zealand Open winner Richard Finch who was paired with Campbell for the opening two rounds said Campbell was trying his best but was "unfortunately struggling with his game".
"I really feel for the guy. I just hope that he ... turns his game around and starts playing like everyone knows he can.
"That's the strange thing about Cambo.
"He can shoot two rounds of 80 but he walks from the course as though he's shot two scores in the 60s.
"His attitude and his temperament seem fine and that's why I feel for him," the Englishman said.
Finch joined Campbell in missing the cut by a shot with scores of 75 and 71.
Brown birdied his closing two holes, but will regard a 13th hole double bogey as the spoiler for his day.
- NZPA
