Dylan Cleaver: Campbell's demise is too painful

Michael Campbell's unpredictability has become predictable. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Michael Campbell provided New Zealand with an indelible moment when he won the US Open in 2005 - the pity of it is he has become such a pale imitation of that player it almost makes you wish that glorious, gutsy fourth round was the last he played. Almost.

Campbell's career has been all about preposterous highs and ludicrous lows. His unpredictability became predictable. Even his most loyal fans must be starting to wonder, after seeing his name last on the Masters' leaderboard following the first round yesterday, if this slump is terminal.

You cling to the hope the 41-year-old will become friends with his driver again, will re-acquaint himself with the fairway and start smiling again, but perhaps to do that he needs to stop playing. Ritual humblings on the world's toughest courses cannot be good for the soul.

Would Campbell be better off locking away the clubs for a few months, then start playing off the white tees with a few mates at the municipal club, just to remember why he fell in love with the game as a 12-year-old? His perseverance might be admirable, but it's too damned painful to watch.

It was reported that when Campbell putted out for 83 yesterday, he sat at the back of the green, slumped on his golf bag looking bereft while partners Ben Crane and Simon Dyson finished their rounds.

Barring a miracle round this morning, this might be the last time Campbell gets to smell the azaleas at Augusta National, a course he's never played on the weekend. His five-year exemption, for winning the US Open, runs out this year. (That applies also to the Open Championship and the PGA Championship, though he is still entitled to a spot in the US Open until 2015.)

If you talk to people who know Campbell, they will tell you that one of his problems is his affability - he simply listens to too many people. At the moment George Gregan has his ear. It would be kind if Georgie put his arm around Cambo and said, "Mate, don't keep doing this to yourself", but Gregan never knew when to quit either.

His swing coach Jonathan Yarwood keeps saying Campbell is playing well on the practice range, but that's the same as saying a struggling batsman looks great in the nets. It counts for nothing and it doesn't pay the bills.

Campbell has not banked a euro on the European Tour this year. In four events in 2010 his best result is a tie for 111th at the Qatar Masters. He shot an 11-over 83 at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. A fortnight later he failed to break 80 again, shooting 81 in Dubai and a fortnight ago, he didn't break 80 in either round on the way to being cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The last time he was, by any measure, a great golfer was a string of tournaments where he finished in tie for eighth, tie for 10th, tie for 23rd, tie for third, third and tie for 13th, on the European Tour. The surprise is that this was in late-2008, less than two years ago. It must seem like a lifetime ago.