Golf: Campbell recovers after shaky start in England

Golfer Michael Campbell fought back from a disastrous double bogey opening hole to birdie three of his closing four holes on the first day of the American Express Championship in London.

Campbell carded a two under par 69 on The Grove course to end the first round of the US$7.5 million ($11.56) event trailing seven shots behind leader and world No 1, Tiger Woods.

Campbell hit his opening tee shot so far right and through the trees at the dogleg left hole that his ball ended up close to an unsealed service road.

He had little option but to chip out from where he eventually three-putted from 30 feet for a double bogey.

Last year's US Open champion then recovered the shots with birdies at the second and sixth holes.

Campbell got back to level when he holed an 11-foot putt at the par five 15th before rolling in an 18 foot birdie putt at the 17th and then superbly two-putting from 100 feet at the last.

"I don't know where that shot came from at the first and it was just a case of the wrong club off the tee and went 320-yards but straight through the fairway," he said.

"I then three putted through sheer frustration but managed to get it back there at the end with three birdies in my last four holes and that is pleasing after a disastrous start.

Woods emerged from last week's demoralising USA Ryder Cup defeat in Ireland to immediately stamp his authority and hole a 20-foot eagle putt at the last with an eight under par 63.

Earlier the defending champion had cut a swath through the tree-lined course with seven birdies and his only blemish being a 17-th hole bogey.

Woods returned to Britain for a second time in three weeks having already won 11 of the 24 World Golf Championships he's contested since their inception in 1999.

The victories have earned the 30-year old American sports superstar a staggering US$12.20m in first place prize money and he already looks the man to beat to this week's US$ 1.35m winner's purse.

"I hit the ball really well today and after a birdie at the second I was in position to make a few more birdies, and got it close enough on greens this good so if you hit good putts they are going in," said Woods, who recorded just 27 putts.

"So it's always nice to get off to a positive start because most of the guys will soon get to know the golf course and shoot some better scores."

Ireland's Padraig Harrington shook off his sub-par performance last week at the K. Club to card a flawless seven under par 64 and finish tied in second place with England's Ian Poulter.

American Stewart Cink, also a member of last week's losing USA Ryder Cup team, and Ernie Els are next best on six under par.

Woods' impressive manner made Cink remark they should rename the north London course 'Tiger Woods'.

"They might as well change the name of this course to 'Tiger Woods' as it sets up perfectly for him," he said.

"But it's not demoralising until you see him beating everybody by 10 shots with a round to play, then it gets demoralising."

- NZPA