Golf: Campbell turns to Zinny for advice

Michael Campbell

Michael Campbell will rely on advice from former All Blacks rugby captain Zinzan Brooke in a bid to retain his US Open title next month, the New Zealander said on Wednesday.

"The most important thing I am trying to do is not defend my title, it's to win it," Campbell said on the eve of the opening round of the Irish Open.

"I suppose it's that mental mind-set, where you think of defending your title, and getting that right.

"To me, it's like having an offensive team and a defensive team. Being on the defensive, it's not how to play golf.

"I play golf by being pretty aggressive. So when I get to Winged Foot in another four weeks' time, I'm going out to try to win it, not defend it."

The US Open, which Campbell won at Pinehurst last year, will be played at Winged Foot from June 15-18.

"I'm using an All Black mind-set," Campbell said.

"At The Vines, about 2001, I said to Zinzan Brooke, who is a very good friend of mine and (was) captain of the All Blacks, 'I've got a problem about defending my titles'.

"He said: 'Just go with the mind-set of trying to actually win it, not defend it'. As soon as I did that, I won my back-to-back Heineken Classics in Perth."

With heavy rain making pro-am conditions difficult in Coounty Kildare on Wednesday, Campbell will not be complaining about bad weather, which he considers a sure way of hindering his chances.

"We get to Pinehurst last year and there's guys whinging how fast the greens are and how undulating they are," Campbell said.

"That's as good as a one-shot or a two-shot penalty before they tee off.

"It's the same here -- we don't come here for the weather but for the golf and the Guinness."

Campbell is playing his second successive European Tour event following a month's break.

He is attempting to go one better this year and become European number one after finishing second behind Colin Montgomerie last season.

- REUTERS