KEY POINTS:
Hollywood superstar Samuel L Jackson came to the aid of pro partner, Michael Campbell in rescuing potential team disaster on day two of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
Jackson recorded net pars over the closing two holes of the Old Course at St Andrews after Campbelll buckled with a 17th hole double bogey and a final hole bogey.
Campbell had moved to five under par through 14 holes of the second round courtesy of a fifth-hole eagle, where he drilled a 3-wood from 270-yards out to just three feet, and then birdies at his 10th and 14th holes following respective putts of four feet and eight feet.
He then hit a superb drive off the tee at the famed 17th - "The Road Hole" - before watching in anguish as his 6-iron second shot, from 182-yards out, flew the green, rebounded off the bitumen road behind the hole and came to rest buried in grass, and just six inches from the wall running the length of the roadway.
Campbell and Jackson studied his plight for many minutes before Campbell was left with little option but to take a penalty drop from where he chipped and two-putted.
There was certain amount of anger in Campbell's 18th hole tee shot that rolled through the green and into rough from where he took bogey.
His round of 71 for an eventual two under par tally left Campbell trailing nine shots behind the leading trio of Australia's Peter O'Malley (64), South African Hennie Otto (67) and England's Nick Dougherty (66).
Campbell and Jackson are well down in 68th place in the team event on 10-under par and eight adrift of the leading pair.
The championship has a unique format incorporating two separate competitions - an individual professional tournament for the world's leading golfers, and a team event in which they are paired with some of the most celebrated amateur golfers.
As well as Jackson, amateurs playing from the entertainment world include Hugh Grant, Ray Romano, Dennis Hopper, Ronan Keating and Huey Lewis.
Sporting greats taking part include Sir Ian Botham, Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Steve Redgrave, Boris Becker and Steve Waugh.
Campbell joined his wife in heading back to their hotel whilst Jackson remained at the back of the 18th happily agreeing to TV and radio interviews and delighting many fans with autographs and snapshots.
"I've really enjoyed playing the two days with Michael and it's been fun though it wasn't that much fun for him at 17 and here at 18," said Jackson.
"We've talked about everything from our background, kids, what food we each like and he also brought up the Rugby World Cup on Thursday and I am going to try and watch New Zealand's (game) with him tomorrow.
"But only if he could just make a putt because he would be much higher up the leader board than he is,"
The star of such screen thrillers as Pulp Fiction, Die Hard with a Vengeance and Rules of Engagement was asked if he had watched coverage of Campbell's 2005 US Open win.
"Yes I did and I was very pleased to see him win," said Jackson.
"It was extra special in that Michael did what a lot of players have managed to achieve and that's to keep Tiger at bay on the last day of a Major.
"But Michael has always been a very popular guy among me and my friends as we've watched him compete and after he had come close so many times, it was fantastic to see him win the US Open and I am looking forward to seeing him a lot more tournaments."
But Jackson was left gob-smacked when asked if he was aware that Campbell has not tasted victory in a stroke-play event since his Pinehurst triumph.
"You're kidding and I didn't know that," he said.
"It's surprising as Michael has burnt the edges so many times these last two days. He maybe burned the hole on 12 occasions and he's getting closer, and that's all you can ask for in this game."
The duo will travel to the nearby Kingsbarns course on Saturday where Campbell will be desperately striving to boost his current 90 th place standing and finish among the top-60 who will play out the final round at St Andrews.
O'Malley's 64 at Carnoustie was the best round of the day despite the former New Zealand Open champion heading off to this year's British Open host course without his tools of trade.
O'Malley was halfway to Carnoustie when he realised he had left his golf clubs at his guest house for the week in St Andrews.
"We had just got on the motorway at the back of Dundee and I heard something rattling in the boot of the car," said O'Malley.
"And as soon as I heard the sound I knew I hadn't put my clubs in the car. So I rang my wife and her phone wasn't on, so I then rang the lady at the guest house and she drove to meet me at Leuchars Railway Station.
"Fortunately, I got to Carnoustie will still about an hour to spare before I teed off."
- NZPA
