Masterton's Ben Campbell has added another notable feather to his golfing cap. Campbell, 18, was leading amateur at the Australian Open which concluded at the New South Wales Golf Club's La Perousse course in Sydney over the weekend, and headed off several well-performed professionals in the process. Scores of 76, 68, 72and 77 gave Campbell a four-round total of 293 and placed him 40th-equal overall, one place ahead of next best amateur Do Eun-Am, of Korea, who finished on 294 with rounds of 73, 74, 76 and 71. Just three other amateur players managed to make the cut after two rounds, all of them Australians, Brendan Smith totalled 302 and both Milhan Perara and Matthew Steiger 307. It was his second round of 68, four under par, which highlighted the Campbell effort He chalked up five birdies and one bogey and played the back nine three under the card. In all 68 players made the cut with among the 68 missing out being one of Australia's best-known players in Peter Senior and American Steve Marino, who has had five top-10 finishes on the PGA tour this year and who shared the lead in the last British Open after 36 holes. Perhaps the most-recognised player in the field though was another American in big-hitting John Daly, whose 290 placed him just three shots ahead of Campbell. What's more there were only two New Zealand-based professionals ahead of him, Michael Long, who finished third on 282, and Tim Wilkinson, who shot 286. Scoring at Le Perousse, a 6226m course which is considered one of the toughest courses in Australia, was inflated by mixed weather conditions, which included rain and strong winds. Campbell earned his invitation to play in the Open through winning the Aaron Baddeley Junior International amateur tournament in China last year.
