Masterton golfer Ben Campbell was pleased with his share of 11th place in the prestigious Lake Macquarie amateur tournament at Belmont Gold Club, near Newcastle in New South Wales, last week but he says it could have been better. The best of the Kiwi contingent by four shots, Campbell was aiming fora top 10 finish and, in a typically honest assessment of his performance, believes he would have achieved that objective easily but for a lack of consistency in his play. While his scores of 73, 71, 69 and 72 on the par-72 course might suggest otherwise, Campbell said he was never totally comfortable with his game. "There were two rounds where I was striking the ball well off the tees and fairways but putting poorly and two rounds where I did just the opposite," he said. "It wasn't perfect by a long way." It was his last round of 72 which disappointed Campbell most as no fewer than three excellent opportunities to make birdies went by the board because of putting hassles. "You don't mind missing one but three & that was pretty frustrating," Campbell said. "A 72 isn't bad but a 69 would have been a heck of a lot better, wouldn't it?" The 69 Campbell did produce in his third round was a very different story though with a strong finish seeing successive birdies being registered on the last two holes. "The putter was working then," he quipped. About to start his seventh form year at Wairarapa College-where he will wearing a prefect's badge- Campbell is hoping his 2009 golfing year will be as good as that of 2008, which he ended on a high note by winning the Aaron Baddeley Junior International in China by a resounding 12 shots. A family wedding means he will not be contesting the popular Eketahuna Masterton pro-am event this weekend or the New South Wales amateur which clashes with it and his next major assignment is likely to be the Trans-Tasman series against Australia. He looks a certainty to represent New Zealand at either senior or junior level there. A trip to the United States to play in top amateur events there-probably in June or July is also on the Ben Campbell itinerary and he is currently seeking out sponsorship in that respect.
