Michael Campbell Explained

Michael Campbell
Fullname:Michael Shane Campbell
Nickname:Cambo
Birth Date:23 February 1969
Birth Place:Hāwera, New Zealand
Weight:190lb
Residence:Wellington, New Zealand
Sydney, Australia
Children:2
Yearpro:1993
Extour:PGA Tour of Australasia
European Tour
Prowins:15
Pgawins:1
Eurowins:8
Asiawins:1
Auswins:7
Chalwins:3
Majorwins:1
Masters:CUT: 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Usopen:Won: 2005
Open:T3: 1995
Pga:T6: 2005
Award1:PGA Tour of Australasia
Rookie of the Year
Year1:1993
Award2:PGA Tour of Australasia
Order of Merit
Year2:1999–2000
Award3:PGA Tour of Australasia
Player of the Year
Year3:1999–2000
Award4:European Tour
Golfer of the Year
Year4:2005

Michael Shane Campbell (born 23 February 1969) is a New Zealand professional golfer who is best known for having won the 2005 U.S. Open and, at the time, the richest prize in golf, the £1,000,000 HSBC World Match Play Championship, in the same year. He played on the European Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Early life, amateur career

Campbell was born in Hāwera, Taranaki. Ethnically, he is predominantly Māori, from the Ngāti Ruanui (father's side) and Ngā Rauru (mother's side) iwi.[1] He also has some Scottish ancestry, being a great-great-great-grandson of John Logan Campbell, a Scottish emigrant to New Zealand. As a young child, he lived near his mother's Wai-o-Turi marae at Whenuakura, just south of Patea, and also spent much of his time with whānau at his father's Taiporohenui marae, near Hāwera.

Like many young New Zealand boys, Campbell dreamed of playing for the All Blacks, and began playing rugby union, but his mother vetoed his participation. While he was talented at several other sports, such as softball, squash and table tennis, his passion turned out to be golf.

Aged seven, he began playing golf on the Patea golf course which had the greens fenced to keep sheep off them. He was introduced to the game by an uncle, Roger Rei, but was also undoubtedly influenced by his father, Tom Campbell, who was a single-figure handicapper. The family moved south to Titahi Bay and Campbell developed his skills in junior ranks at Paraparaumu. He attended school at Mana College but left without any qualifications.

From 1988, Campbell represented New Zealand in various international amateur competitions, including the team victory at the 1992 Eisenhower Trophy, before turning professional in 1993.

Professional career

In 1995, in his first full season on the European Tour, he held a two-shot lead after the third round of The Open Championship, but faded after a final-round 76. He nonetheless remained in contention until the final hole, missing a playoff with Costantino Rocca and John Daly (eventually won by Daly) by one stroke.

Campbell eventually established himself as a solid tour performer, finishing fourth on the European Tour Order of Merit (money list) in 2000, and again finishing in the top ten of the Order of Merit in 2002. He won the PGA Tour of Australasia's Order of Merit during the 1999/2000 season.

Campbell failed to make the cut in his first five 2005 tournaments. He made a quick turnaround and missed only one cut in the next 16 tournaments. He finished in the top six of both the Open Championship and PGA Championship, and recorded top-five placings in three other tournaments.

2005 U.S. Open

Campbell qualified for the U.S. Open through sectional qualifying. The USGA introduced European qualifying for the first time, which took place at Walton Heath. He had to sink a 6-foot birdie putt on the last hole of qualifying to secure his place in the U.S. Open.

In the tournament itself, Campbell ended the third round four strokes behind Retief Goosen, the event's defending champion. On the final day, Goosen ballooned to an 81. Campbell shot 69 (1 under par) for the final round and was the only golfer in the last two pairings of the day to break 80. Campbell's main competition turned out to be Tiger Woods,[2] who at one point closed to within one shot of Campbell.

In the end, Woods was undone by bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes, and Campbell won his first major by two shots, carding an even par of 280. With his win, he became only the second New Zealander to win a major (after Bob Charles), and also the first winner of the U.S. Open since Steve Jones in 1996 who had entered the event via sectional qualifying.

Two months later, in August, Campbell finished in a tie for 6th in the PGA Championship at Baltusrol, won by Phil Mickelson.

World Match Play champion

In September 2005, Campbell won the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth.[3] He defeated Australian Geoff Ogilvy (1-up) before being taken to the 37th hole by another Australian, Steve Elkington, in the quarter-final.

In the semi-final he faced Retief Goosen who the previous day had recorded a 12 and 11 win over Mark Hensby. Campbell defeated Goosen 7 and 6 and the next day beat Irishman Paul McGinley 2 and 1 in the final to take the championship and win the £1,000,000 richest prize in golf.[4] He became only the fourth golfer to win the U.S. Open and the World Match Play titles in the same year, joining Gary Player, Hale Irwin and Ernie Els, and the win moved him to the top of the European Order of Merit, ahead of Goosen. He finished the year ranked second on the Order of Merit.

Later career, retirement and comeback

Campbell had no top-10 finishes on the European Tour between 2009 and September 2012, although his U.S. Open win meant he retained his playing rights. In October 2012, he finished third in the Portugal Masters, and in December he finished 8th in the Hong Kong Open (both European tour events). He retired from golf in 2015, citing an ankle injury and personal issues.[5]

In December 2017, Campbell revealed in an interview with bunkered magazine that he was planning to make a European Tour comeback in 2018 with a view to playing on the Staysure Tour and PGA Tour Champions when he turns 50 in February 2019.[6] He is automatically qualified for the U.S. Senior Open from 2019 until 2028 as all former U.S. Open champions are exempt from qualifying for ten years.[7] He was unable to play in the New Zealand Open as planned, having aggravated an old injury to a tendon in his left ankle during training.[5]

Awards, honours and private life

Campbell's wife Julie and his sons Thomas and Jordan primarily reside in Sydney, Australia, which is Julie's hometown. In 2012 he moved first to Switzerland and then to southern Spain, where he opened a golf academy and has been the brand ambassador for a golf resort.

In the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours, Campbell was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to golf.[8]

On 29 October 2005, Campbell was awarded Honorary Life Membership of The European Tour for his U.S. Open win. In the 2006 New Year Honours, Campbell was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to golf.[9]

Among his many New Zealand television appearances in 2008 was a cameo role in an episode of sports skit comedy show Pulp Sport.

Campbell is a co-founder of the Project Litefoot Trust, which is helping New Zealand community sports clubs reduce their environmental impact, while saving money for sport.[10]

Amateur wins

Professional wins (15)

PGA Tour wins (1)

Legend
Major championships (1)
Other PGA Tour (0)

European Tour wins (8)

Legend
Major championships (1)
Other European Tour (7)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
114 Nov 1999
(2000 season)
Johnnie Walker Classic1,2−12 (66-71-69-70=276)1 stroke Geoff Ogilvy
230 Jan 2000Heineken Classic1−20 (68-69-65-66=268)6 strokes Thomas Bjørn
31 Oct 2000Linde German Masters−19 (68-64-65=197)*1 stroke José Cóceres
44 Feb 2001Heineken Classic1 (2)−18 (69-70-67-64=270)5 strokes David Smail
57 Jul 2002Smurfit European Open−6 (68-71-70-73=282)1 stroke Bradley Dredge, Retief Goosen,
Pádraig Harrington, Paul Lawrie
627 Jul 2003Nissan Irish Open−11 (66-69-71-71=277)Playoff Thomas Bjørn, Peter Hedblom
719 Jun 2005U.S. OpenE (71-69-71-69=280)2 strokes Tiger Woods
818 Sep 2005HSBC World Match Play Championship2 and 1 Paul McGinley
*Note: The 2000 Linde German Masters was shortened to 54 holes due to weather.
1Co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia
2Co-sanctioned by the Asian PGA Tour

European Tour playoff record (1–0)

Asian PGA Tour wins (1)

1Co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (7)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
128 Feb 1993Canon Challenge−16 (70-65-65-72=272)3 strokes Steven Conran
25 Nov 1995Alfred Dunhill Masters−21 (69-65-68-65=267)5 strokes Mark Mouland, Craig Parry
314 Nov 1999Johnnie Walker Classic1,2−12 (66-71-69-70=276)1 stroke Geoff Ogilvy
423 Jan 2000Crown Lager New Zealand Open−15 (69-67-69-64=269)Playoff Craig Perks
530 Jan 2000Heineken Classic1−20 (68-69-65-66=268)6 strokes Thomas Bjørn
613 Feb 2000Ericsson Masters−10 (75-67-67-73=282)4 strokes Brett Rumford
74 Feb 2001Heineken Classic1 (2)−18 (69-70-67-64=270)5 strokes David Smail
1Co-sanctioned by the European Tour
2Co-sanctioned by the Asian PGA Tour

PGA Tour of Australasia playoff record (1–0)

Challenge Tour wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
126 Jun 1994Memorial Olivier Barras−10 (67-67-72=206)3 strokes Raymond Burns
23 Jul 1994Bank Austria Open−12 (71-68-68-69=276)2 strokes Stuart Cage
314 Aug 1994Audi Quattro Trophy−21 (67-67-66-67=267)2 strokes Raymond Burns

Playoff record

Other playoff record (0–1)

Major championships

Results timeline

Tournament199419951996199719981999
Masters TournamentCUT
U.S. OpenT32
The Open ChampionshipCUTT3DQT66CUT
PGA ChampionshipT17CUT
Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Masters TournamentCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUTCUT
U.S. OpenT12CUTCUTCUTCUT1CUTT58CUTCUT
The Open ChampionshipCUTT23CUTT53T20T5T35T57T51WD
PGA ChampionshipCUTCUTT23T69T49T6CUTCUTT42CUT
Tournament2010201120122013
Masters TournamentCUT
U.S. OpenCUTCUTCUTCUT
The Open Championship
PGA Championship
DQ = Disqualified
WD = Withdrew
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Summary

Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
1 0 0 1 1 2 15 4
0 0 1 2 2 4 15 9
PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 1 3 12 6
Totals 1 0 1 3 4 9 52 19

Results in The Players Championship

CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
DQ = disqualified
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament20002001200220032004200520062007
Match PlayR64R16R64R64R64R64R64
Championship9NT1T9T6866T46T2271
InvitationalT15T31T11T716817T46

1Cancelled due to 9/11
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
NT = No tournament

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

See also

External links

|-

Notes and References

  1. News: Smith . Tony . 12 February 2021 . Māori Sports Awards: Lisa Carrington judged most influential Māori sports star since 1991 . Stuff . 12 February 2021.
  2. News: Luke . DeCock . 2005 US Open golf champ Michael Campbell remains a mystery . The News & Observer . 10 June 2014 . 30 March 2015 .
  3. Web site: John . Garrity. Winning the 2005 U.S. Open made Michael Campbell New Zealand's greatest sportsman until the weight of superstardom closed in . Golf.com . 15 May 2014 .
  4. News: Campbell takes Wentworth victory . 18 September 2005 . BBC Sport . 2009-10-30.
  5. News: Robert . van Royen . Former US Open winner Michael Campbell's comeback hits a snag . Stuff . 28 February 2018.
  6. Michael Campbell to make European Tour return in 2018 . 28 December 2017 . bunkered . Martin . Inglis.
  7. Web site: Campbell announces retirement from golf . 5 May 2015 . PGA European Tour . 16 May 2015.
  8. Web site: Queen's Birthday honours list 2001 . 4 June 2001 . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . 2 July 2020.
  9. Web site: 31 December 2005 . New Year honours list 2006 . 9 June 2019 . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
  10. Web site: Michael Campbell . 2018-09-06 . projectlitefoot.org.