Golf: New coach for Campbell

Michael Campbell. Photo / Getty Images

Troubled New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell has employed a new set of eyes in a bid to solve a long-term riddle.

He has a new coach in Scotsman Bob Torrance, ending his association with Florida-based Englishman Jonathon Yarwood dating back more than a decade.

The 41-year-old Campbell, presently ranked a career-low 1331st in the world, has fallen off the radar since 2006, a year after winning the US Open and World Matchplay Championship titles.

He has shown no signs of rediscovering his form, and boasts tournament earnings of a meagre 33,230 euro ($NZ61,560) since the start of last year in Europe.

He has made just one cut in 16 appearances on the European Tour this season after qualifying for the weekend rounds in just three of 19 events in 2009.

Torrance, in his late 70s, is the father of former European Tour No 1 Sam Torrance and has coached three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, of Ireland, for 15 years.

Campbell confirmed his new coaching arrangement today as he prepared for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.

"I've been out here on the European Tour for a pretty long time now and I've come to know Bob and I've seen what he's done with players like Padraig, Paul McGinley and others," Campbell said.

"He's been around in the days of Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and he just knows so much about the golf swing.

"He's offered me a different outlook, a different perspective but while I have been working with Bob for about a month or so, I can say now that's it's all official."

Campbell has won 15 tournaments since turning professional in 1992, the last of them the World Matchplay Championship five years ago.

- NZPA