Golf: Campbell targets top in world golf

By BOB PEARCE

Michael Campbell will return to the New Zealand Open at The Grange next month confident he can make it to the top of world golf.

Speaking from Sydney yesterday to launch Telstra-Saturn as the new naming sponsor of the Open, Campbell reflected on 12 months which have seen him rocket up the world rankings.

"A year ago I was ranked probably 120th in the world," he said.

"I have worked very hard on every department of my game and I've improved to 14th.

"But that means I've got 13 to go.

"I'm sure I've got the game and the attitude and the mental toughness to be one of the best players in the world.

"It's going to be hard for me to achieve that.

"There are a lot of good players in front of me - particularly Tiger [Woods], who's miles ahead of anyone else.

"But I have the goal in front of me to be No 1 in the world in the next five or six years. I think it's very achievable, but I'm going to have to work three times as hard to reach that goal."

Campbell won five times in the past 12 months - "but Tiger won 10 and he's the benchmark."

In the next 12 months Campbell intends to divide his playing time between Australia, Europe and the United States. In 2002, he hopes to join the United States PGA tour fulltime.

"For my game to improve, I've got to be playing against the best week by week.

"Three of the majors are in the States and the courses the tour plays are very similar."

Campbell could be excused some negative feelings about The Grange, where a wrist injury set back his professional career five years ago.

But, though the course does not reward the driving skills which are a strong part of his game, he looks forward to defending the title he won in a tense battle with Craig Perks at Paraparaumu in January.

"My wrist doesn't trouble me except when I practise on a hard surface for too long.

"These days I base my schedule around my family. It's really hard to be away from them."

Campbell recently became the father of a second son and the whole family will be coming to The Grange, where he expects an even bigger group of relatives than the whanau who cheered him to victory at Paraparaumu.

He has no qualms about starting as favourite in front his home supporters. "I'll just focus on my game and not worry about the media and the people watching.

"I actually enjoy the adrenalin rush and the pressure from the whole world watching."

One part of his game which has stood him in good stead over the year has been his putting. He finished in the top five in that category on the European Tour.

Campbell puts it down to confidence, a quality which has lifted his whole game.

"Every time I go out there now to play a tournament, I go out there to win."

He credits former All Blacks Zinzan Brooke and Bernie McCahill for getting him focused and he talks cagily of the Belgian guru who has him swinging a golf club instinctively without thinking about the mechanics.

Campbell will be the star of the show from January 18 to 21, but he will be competing against a strong cast of Australians and former winners Sir Bob Charles and Greg Turner.

The organisers hope to have Perks back for a rerun of the Paraparaumu drama.