Golf: Campbell jumps to fourth

VALDERRAMA - New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell grabbed fourth place on the European Order of Merit after finishing ninth in the World Championship tournament in Spain yesterday.

And but for a mid-season slump, he felt he could have been higher.

Campbell carded a last-round 70 on the Valderrama course to end the season-closing event at six under, five strokes behind Canadian champion Mike Weir.

Weir, aged 30, who was a team-mate of Campbell's at the recent President's Cup, carded a last round of 69 to clinch by two strokes the $US1 million ($2.56 million) first-prize cheque.

England's Lee Westwood captured the European Order of Merit title after finishing second with a final round of 67.

Vijay Singh, the reigning United States Masters champion, and American Duffy Waldorf were tied for third place at eight under, ahead of four players - Tiger Woods, Ireland's Padraig Harrington, Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Zimbabwean Nick Price - at seven under.

Westwood ended Colin Montgomerie's seven-year reign as Europe's best player, finishing 10 strokes ahead of the Scot and nine ahead of Ulster's Darren Clarke, his nearest Order of Merit rival.

Valderrama's controversial 17th hole again played a pivotal role.

Price described it as "diabolical" after taking a triple-bogey eight, while Woods, with a final-day 72, found the water guarding the 17th green for a third occasion in four days, and took a rare double-bogey.

Woods then bogeyed the last. He fell just short of breaking the $US10 million barrier in earnings for a season.

Others to record a double-bogey at 17 on the final day were former British Open champion Mark Calcavecchia, and third-round leader Hidemichi Tanaka, of Japan. Calcavecchia finished 10th and Tanaka 11th equal.

Campbell's ninth place was his 11th top-10 finish this year, which included three wins in Europe.

He managed to leapfrog Dane Thomas Bjorn and finish in fourth place on the Order of Merit with earnings this year of £1,147,614 ($4,205,254).

However, he expressed his annoyance at not having played better in mid-season.

"I'm disappointed because I let a couple of months go, in July and August, when I played poorly. If I had played better during that time, I would have had a better chance at the Order of Merit title," he said. "Maybe I'm too hard on myself, but to beat the best you have to be like that."

Campbell will travel today to Bangkok to prepare to defend his title at the Johnnie Walker Classic, starting on Thursday.

- NZPA