Golf: Campbell leads the Kiwi conquest in Perth

PERTH - Reigning champion Michael Campbell carded a superb eight-under 64 yesterday to complete a successful defence of the rich Heineken Classic golf tournament at The Vines, near Perth.

Campbell, with 10 birdies in his round, ended at 18-under in the $A1.75 million tournament.

He was five shots clear of compatriot David Smail, who continued his hot form of the past three weeks with his second successive 66 to finish alone in second spot.

A third New Zealander, Paul Devenport, also made it into the top four with a final round of 69, to close at 11 under.

Campbell, who turns 32 this month, said it was a great feeling to defend a title successfully.

"Today was a great round," he said. "I played great off tee to green and it was probably better than my first three rounds.

"I'm just happy to win back-to-back. It's the first ever. It's a great feeling."

Campbell, who dominated the Australasian Tour last season with four victories, began the day two shots behind local hope and overnight leader Nick O'Hern.

The two were set for a head-to-head battle for the $A315,000 first prize and Campbell made a shaky start by dropping a shot on the first hole.

O'Hern hit a fine approach to the first green, while Campbell sent his over the back.

After chipping up, Campbell two-putted, while O'Hern made no mistake with his birdie attempt.

Suddenly four behind, Campbell made his move, getting birdies on each of the next three holes.

The par-four sixth hole proved decisive.

O'Hern was still leading by two shots, but disaster struck for the West Australian, who surrendered the advantage with a quadruple bogey after a wayward tee shot.

Showing fine iron play and solid putting, Campbell continued to make birdies from all positions, including three in a row on 9, 10 and 11.

When he sunk a testing putt on the 11th, his lead had ballooned out to five shots.

There was a two-stroke swing on the par-four 15th, which Campbell bogeyed for the third time during the tournament, while O'Hern had a birdie to close to three shots.

But that was the nearest the left-handed O'Hern, quarter-finalist in the world matchplay championship in Melbourne last month, was to get, and he eventually finished third, six shots behind Campbell.

It was the first time Campbell had successfully defended a title in his professional career and he said last week that he had learned from the "circus" at the New Zealand Open, which he had also won last season.

He had got caught up in the hype in Auckland and almost missed the cut before charging over the final two rounds to finish second, two shots off the pace.

Smail won that tournament and also went on to collect the Canon Challenge title, matching Campbell's feat last year of victories on successive weeks.

While Smail was never really in the hunt for three in a row yesterday, he stayed in contention for a top placing throughout the afternoon and finished with a flourish with an eagle on the par-five 18th.

- NZPA