Golf: Top USPGA trial run for Campbell

New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell is heading to next week's United States PGA championship in Kentucky in the best form possible after finishing second in the Scandinavian Masters in Sweden yesterday.

Campbell began the final round seven strokes from the lead, and failed by three strokes to reel in leader Lee Westwood.

Englishman Westwood clinched his fourth European Tour title of the season and the 22nd win of his professional career with a 14-under-par aggregate on the Kungsangen course in Stockholm.

Westwood also moved to first place on the European Tour Order of Merit, while Campbell, with a last-round 67 and a cheque for £110,000, ($364,963) retained his fourth place behind Westwood, Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and South African Ernie Els.

"The Order of Merit is the gauge European pros go by and it did not look like I was going to be top at any stage around about February and March," Westwood said.

"I've won four times, finished second and third once and fourth twice, so I'm on a good run and just trying to keep it going for the next few weeks."

Campbell's placing, one stroke ahead of Scot Raymond Russell, was his second runner-up result of the year. He finished second in June's English Open but will not play this week's British Masters, deciding to rest before heading to his third USPGA appearance.



Campbell recorded four birdies over the last round, including a 20ft birdie putt at the last to deny Russell a share of second.

"Finishing second ... well I can't complain about that," Campbell said. "But I just didn't put enough pressure on Lee unfortunately, because I missed about four putts from within 10 feet.

"I have a lot of confidence now from finishing second, so I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks."

Fellow Kiwi Greg Turner shot a 66, the best of the day, to finish in a share of 11th place.

"I'm pleased, very pleased because I played so poorly ... leading into the British Open," he said. "But I went and saw my coach, Denis Pugh, and it looked awful on video, so we had some major structural work to do.

"I wasn't confident because it looked like months of work rather that weeks, but I have worked hard these past three weeks.

Turner will compete in the British Masters starting on Thursday before joining Campbell in Kentucky.

- NZPA