Golf: Up and down for Campbell

WENTWORTH - Michael Campbell's tenure as Europe's leading golfer lasted one week.

He carded a 70 yesterday to finish in a share of fourth place in the European PGA Championship at Wentworth and slipped to second on the European order of merit.

New Zealand's leading player was overtaken by Argentine Angel Cabrera, who finished second, two shots behind unheralded Scot Andrew Oldcorn, who at 41 became the oldest European PGA champion.

Nick Faldo finished third in his best showing since he and fellow Englishman David Carter won the 1998 World Cup in Auckland.

Campbell shared fourth place with Sweden's Mathias Gronberg and Welshman Phillip Price.

Cabrera overhauled Campbell to move to first on the European order of merit, £27,000 ($91,899) ahead of the New Zealander.

Campbell began the closing round six strokes behind Oldcorn, but still quietly confident of victory. He made the start he wanted, with two birdies in four holes, but the next four proved a rollercoaster affair - he took three bogeys and a birdie.

He then bogeyed 11, birdied 12 and was still up there with a chance when he birdied 15. His challenge ended with a bogey at 16 before he birdied the closing two par-fives.

"It was a tough week coming off finishing second in Germany, but I'm very pleased to have finished fourth," Campbell said.

"I found it a little hard backing up for the first two rounds (70 and 70), but a 67 in the third got me right up there and got me motivated to give it all I had.

"Today's round was up and down, but the birdies on the last two holes were a great way to finish and it's something I can take into the British Masters."

- NZPA