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DUBAI - Two-time majors champion Mark O'Meara predicts New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell will soon end a dismal run of form.
Campbell again tumbled to near the bottom of the leaderboard with a disappointing four-over-par 76 in the first round in the Dubai Desert Classic.
It left Campbell,
who could manage just one birdie on the Emirates course, trailing 11 strokes behind world No 1 and first round leader Tiger Woods.
O'Meara arrived in Dubai on the same private jet as his close friend Woods and has been drawn to play the opening two rounds in the company of Campbell.
But the 52-year old upstaged his 38-year-old playing partner in recording four birdies in a score of 70.
O'Meara, who won the 1998 Masters and British Open, was asked his opinion of Campbell's showing, after the New Zealander made his first cut in four months at last week's Qatar Masters in Doha before fading badly over the final two rounds.
"Michael just didn't play well today and golf is such a crazy game because I know he's been struggling of late and that's never fun," O'Meara said.
"He's certainly a good player and we've seen him struggle before and then win a US Open (2005) but he'll come right.
"Michael's had a streaky career but he's a tough competitor because when he's in the thick of the battle he can win, and he knows he can win.
"But then when you're not playing well and you're not hitting it that good, and your confidence goes then that's when this game can be a very difficult game as everyone knows."
O'Meara was 41 when he captured his two major titles and when quizzed further whether he thought Campbell was concentrating too much on winning a second major rather than just focusing on simply playing well, the American said Campbell still had five years up his sleeve to attain that goal.
"Before I won the Masters I thought the chances of winning a major had really passed me by so I let the pressure go away instead of thinking I have to got to play well and try and win a major to solidify a career and when I thought there would be no chance of winning a major, it came," he said.
"The good aspect about Michael's situation is that he is in his late 30s so there's still two or three years and it's not out of the question to still win another major at age 41, 42, 43 or 44 years of age.
"And another big plus on Michael's side is at least he's in the majors because he won the US Open but hopefully his game will come right because he's a great guy and he's a class individual out there and you hate to see anybody struggle.
- NZPA
