Golf: Campbell steady but Perks flops

AUGUSTA - Michael Campbell looks likely to be left playing a lone New Zealand hand in the closing two rounds of the Masters.

Campbell will tee off today at two-over-par after a luckless opening round.

He ended the day with a share of 38th place after carding a 74.

But compatriot Craig Perks was left facing an early exit after a disappointing 81.

Perks will start the second round sharing 85th place with two-time former champion Ben Crenshaw.

Only the 64-year-old Charles Coody, winner of the Masters in 1971, and Arnold Palmer, 72, who carded a 17-over 89, trail Perks on the leaderboard.

Palmer later announced that today would be his last competitive Augusta round.

Perks, winner of last month's US$1.08 million ($2.46 million) Players Championship, could not repeat that form in his first Masters.

He was one of 16 making their Augusta debuts, but any fairytale beginning ended when the 35-year-old dropped seven strokes in a five-hole stretch early in his round.

"It's my first major and I will learn from it," Perks said. "I am disappointed. No-one wants to shoot 81 in their first major.

"I came into the Masters with an open mind, looking to enjoy the week, and thinking I could make a good showing, but this is a course that takes more than just a couple of practice rounds and one competitive round to get to know.

"The speed of the greens threw me and I just struggled."

Aside from a second round to restore some respectability to his scorecard, Perks has the comfort of knowing he will come back to Augusta next year and the following year after earning a three-year Masters exemption for winning the Players.

Campbell breathed much needed life back into his third Masters campaign when he birdied the 16th and 17th holes before finishing with his 74.

The goal now for the world's No 23-ranked golfer is to break par in his sixth competitive Augusta round.

He started the 1996 Masters with a round of 73, but then dipped out with a second-day 76.

Last year Campbell began with a 78 and followed that up with a 75 to miss the cut for a second time running.

He said last night: "It is easy to be too defensive out there because you know if you hit it in the wrong place, you have no chance of making par.

"If I can get off to a good start to the second round with a couple of birdies, I think I have a better than average chance of being here for the final 36 holes."

- NZPA