Golf: Campbell remains in slump

A break from golf has little to arrest New Zealander Michael Campbell's poor form as he slumped to an opening round 80 at the Madrid Masters in Spain overnight (NZT).

After seven weeks away, Campbell returned with an eight-over performance which included a double bogey on the first hole and a quadruple bogey on the par-five third to leave him second-last in the 152-strong field.

After failing to break 80 in either round at The Masters last month and having not qualified for a halfway cut since last October, Campbell decided on a break "to get myself sorted out".

He has been consulting with an Australian psychologist, Dr Clark Perry, known for his work with the Wallabies rugby team and swimmers such as Ian Thorpe and Kieren Perkins but admitted he had no expectations this week.

"I'm just going to play with no score in my mind at all," the 41-year-old former US Open champion, who has dropped to 650th in the world rankings, said on the eve of the event.

Fellow-New Zealander Danny Lee performed far better with an opening 69 for a share of 27th, four strokes behind the leading trio of Welshmen Jamie Donaldson and Rhys Davies, and England's Luke Donald.

Mark Brown was in a share of 80th after an even-par 72.

- NZPA