KEY POINTS:
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland - Poor finishing holes pushed New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell off the leaderboard at the European Masters in Switzerland today.
Campbell moved into a share of second place on three under par with back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes of the Crans-sur-Sierre course.
Then he undid all the good work by double bogeying the par three 16th, and dropped a further shot on the 17th to end the day all square on 71.
It cost him 20 places on the leaderboard.
Welshman Bradley Dredge held a two-shot lead in the European Tour event with a five-under 66.
When former US Open champion Campbell reached the 16th he was one of only two players, at the time, not to have dropped a shot in the bitterly cold conditions - heavy overnight frost delayed the start of play by two hours.
He watched in amazement as his tee-shot flew well past the green, chipped to the fringe of the green, and three-putted.
He then dropped a shot at the next and had just teed-off at the 18th when the siren sounded at 8.15pm, to call a halt to play for poor light.
He was allowed to finish the hole, putting out for a par.
"I had 16 good holes with two holes, and in particular 16, spoiling what was looking to be a really good round of golf," said Campbell.
"It was tough going out there as the wind direction was changing and it's also the coldest I've ever experienced here in Crans.
"But tomorrow's another day and we'll see what it brings."
Hamilton's Steve Alker was also left ruing one hole, the par four 15th, where he had a triple-bogey by going out-of-bounds with his second shot.
He ended the day with a four-over 75, and will have to play well to make the cut tomorrow.
"I had to play a tough wedge shot from around a tree and the ball just caught the sharp edge of the green and scooted out-of-bounds," he said.
"But take that off the card and I played pretty good."
Alker begun with nine straight pars, including one-putting the first eight holes, then dropped shots at 10 and 11 before a first birdie of the round at the 14th.
He bounced back from the triple bogey with a 16th hole birdie ahead of a 17th hole bogey and a last hole par.
Argentina's Eduardo Romero, 52, who has won the event twice, was among three players tied for second.
Forty-four players had to complete their first rounds when play was halted.
- NZPA
