Golf: Campbell pleased with par as injured shoulder holds up

Michael Campbell made it through with a par 72. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Kiwi Michael Campbell eased through the opening round of the Johnnie Walker Championships at Gleneagles in Scotland yesterday with a par 72 and no discomfort from his troublesome shoulder.

It is only the third time in 27 rounds on the European Tour this year that Campbell has managed par or better.

It left the former US Open champion trailing six strokes behind England's Richard Finch, winner of the 2008 New Zealand Open.

Campbell's round included two birdies and two bogeys.

"I'm pretty pleased with level par and the good thing is that I hit 15 greens in regulation and that's something I haven't been able to do for a long time," Campbell said.

"So it's a vast improvement while my shoulder held up pretty well.

"There was no discomfort and I was able to swing the club without any concern at all."

Campbell is contesting the two opening rounds of the event in the company of Scottish greats Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance.

Montgomerie, who recorded a 71, will on Monday announce his three European Ryder Cup "wildcard" picks, and the eight-time European No 1 asked if he could compete alongside Torrance, who captained the victorious 2002 European side.

Campbell's fellow New Zealander Danny Lee was one stroke further back after recording a 73 that included back-to-back opening bogeys.

"It was disappointing to drop two shots so early but I just got a couple of bad breaks including getting some mud on my ball after a good tee shot at the second hole," Lee said.

Mark Brown dropped three shots in two holes, at his seventh and eighth holes but fought back with three birdies in succession from the ninth before signing for a two-over par 74.

NZPA