Golf: Campbell's vow to youngsters

A reflection of a job well done ... Michael Campbell with the trophy after yesterday's victory. Picture / Reuters

WENTWORTH - The ink had barely dried on the biggest cheque of his career before Michael Campbell's thoughts drifted to home.

Campbell said the addition of the World Matchplay Championship title at Wentworth, England, to his US Open crown would help in his quest to become a role model for youngsters in New Zealand.

"My big buzz, really, is to have some sort of influence on junior golf back home," Campbell said after beating Ireland's Paul McGinley 2 and 1 in the 36-hole final to win a cheque for £1 million ($2.59 million), the richest first prize in golf.

"My legacy one day is to see these top New Zealand golfers, young kids, coming through and winning lots of majors.

"I want to be a part of that when I retire, helping financially or helping morally, and coaching.

"I'll probably have a big part in the development of golf in New Zealand and that's really important to me."

World No 15 Campbell, the second New Zealander after Bob Charles in 1969 to clinch the Matchplay Championship title at Wentworth, said there were several reasons his form had improved so much this year, but he refused to go into detail.

"I have worked on a different aspect of my life, not just golf.

"There are other things that make you tick as a person. There's a big universe out there.

"That's the bottom line. I'm not going to tell you any more about it ... It's personal."

Campbell was not disheartened when he endured a rocky patch at the beginning of the season.

"At the start of the year, I missed five cuts in a row.

"I didn't panic at all, not once, because I knew it was going to work. It was just a matter of time."

For Campbell, the World Matchplay title was more important than hitting a 1 million jackpot.

"I'm financially quite set for my family and for myself, but competing and winning tournaments around the world is the mojo.

"That's why we play the game. We play for prestige, we play for the honour of being part of history."

Campbell conceded that yesterday's final could have ended differently.

"It was very tense and a great tussle with Paul. It could have gone his way, easily."

Campbell became the fourth man to capture the Matchplay Championship title and the US Open in the same season, following in the footsteps of South African Gary Player (1965), American Hale Irwin (1974) and South African Ernie Els (1994).

The consolation for McGinley in his first appearance in the event was a cheque for £400,000.

There was never more than one hole between the two men in a close-fought morning round played on a calm, overcast day in leafy Surrey.

Dressed appropriately in all black, Campbell was 1 up at halfway after registering a three-under 69 against McGinley's 70.

Campbell, the fourth seed, appeared to open up a decisive advantage when he won two of the first three holes in the afternoon round.

He chipped in from off the green for a birdie three at the first.

McGinley, 38, without a tournament victory since the 2001 Welsh Open, then made a hash of the third where he carded a double-bogey six after taking four shots to reach the green and two-putting from a metre.

But the world No 36 refused to go down without a fight.

He won the sixth and seventh with birdies before getting back to all square when Campbell bogeyed the ninth after taking four strokes to reach the putting surface.

A female streaker caused amusement among the crowd when she rushed on to the 11th green as Campbell lined up a putt to win the hole. His birdie effort eventually slid by the cup.

Campbell's attentions could not be diverted at the next, though, where he converted a 1.5m birdie putt.

His fluctuating fortunes continued at the 13th, where he fluffed an escape from a greenside bunker as McGinley once again got back to all square.

Although he kept pegging back his opponent, McGinley simply could not get his nose in front and a bogey at the 15th helped Campbell to regain the lead for good.
McGinley went two down with two to play when a wayward drive into the trees cost him another bogey five at the 16th.

Campbell's victory helped him return to the top of the European Order of Merit ahead of Retief Goosen.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL

Born: February 23, 1969, in Hawera.
Height: 1.78m.
Weight: 86kg.
Wife: Julie.
Children: Thomas and Jordan.
Leisure: Fishing.
Amateur career: Won Australian championship in 1992, member of first New Zealand team to win Eisenhower Trophy world championship in 1992.
Turned pro: 1993.

Victories

1993: Canon Challenge (Sydney).
1994: Memorial Olivier Barrass.
Bank Austria Open.
Audi Quattro Trophy.
(Secondary Challenge Tour, Europe.)
1995: Alfred Dunhill Masters, Malaysia.
1999: Johnnie Walker Classic, Taiwan.
2000: New Zealand Open, Paraparaumu.
Heineken Classic, Perth.
Ericsson Masters, Melbourne.
German Masters, Cologne.
2001: Heineken Classic, Perth.
2002: European Open, Dublin.
2003: Irish Open, Portmarnock.
2005: US Open, Pinehurst.
World Matchplay Championship, Wentworth.

Other notable performances
1995: T3 British Open, St Andrews.
2005: T5 British Open, St Andrews.
T6 PGA Championship, Baltusrol.

Estimated tournament earnings: $22 million.

- REUTERS