Golf: Some soul-searching ahead for Campbell

Dublin - New Zealand's Michael Campbell heads to this week's Scottish Open at Loch Lomond searching for golf's high road after his dramatic European Open victory in Ireland today.

Campbell survived late round jitters to clinch a fifth European Tour title despite bogeying the closing four holes on the K Club course, south of Dublin.

New Zealand's top golfer had just enough of a leading margin to hang on for the win with a six under par total to deny Irish crowd favourite Padraig Harrington, who ended in a four-way tie, one stroke behind Campbell.

Campbell claimed his 13th win worldwide and ended a winless 18-month spell. The first prize cheque of £333,330 ($1,056,500) was the richest of Campbell's nine-year professional career.

But the win also came with several worries.

Campbell was found wanting when it counted. After leading by five strokes with four holes to play the New Zealander should have easily shut out his rivals, rather than hanging on grimly for the single stroke win.

Campbell first opened the door for his rivals when he three-putted the par four 15th for bogey. The door was wide open when he bogeyed for the third straight occasion on the 17th.

A record Irish gathering thought they had themselves a home winner when Campbell dunked his second shot at the last, into a greenside water hazard.

It was only when Harrington followed the New Zealander into the water that the advantage swung back in Campbell's favour.

Harrington eventually managed par while Campbell played to the green with his fourth from where he two-putted for a bogey and his one stroke winning margin.

"I will learn from the last couple of hours and become a better player for it," Campbell said.

"While winning golf tournaments is huge for my confidence for the next two weeks, there is room for improvement.

"I need to improve another 20 to 30 per cent."

That process begins tomorrow when Campbell meets up with Florida-based coach Jonathon Yarwood who will be in London.

"Under the gun the bad swings came out of the closet over those last four holes," Campbell said.

"I have to iron out the creases or faults and play better later this week and the week after."

Past demons in the closet include the 1995 British Open when he led going into the final round at St Andrews but carded a closing round 76 to finish third behind John Daly.

"I still think about what happened in 1995," Campbell said.

"I had my chance to win the Open and I still think about it. If you don't you are not human.

"If I were to win the Open this year I will never have to think about 1995. All my demons or ghosts would be buried.

"I was 26 back then and it was my first year on the European Tour and I was leading the Open...

"I was shunted into the limelight from being this quiet Maori boy from Hawera in New Zealand to this superstar of golf.

"I didn't like it to be honest. I didn't like the attention.

"But I have been always thinking about that British Open and other tournaments and always trying to learn from my bad experiences or good experiences."

Campbell will head to the British Open, which starts on July 18, with the knowledge he has made the halfway cut in a major just twice in his last 10 appearances.

"That's really bugged. I think my attitude has been wrong and I go out too hard. I get really tense and think about making the cut rather than winning the tournament," he said.

"I am relaxed on the European Tour but it seems when I go to the States to play the majors, my muscles tense up and it shouldn't be that way.

"I'm good enough to win a major. I have competed against the best in the world. I've beaten them a few times and I have the game to win a major.

"It is more of a mindset with me. My mindset majors-wise isn't that great so it is time to rectify a few things and have the right attitude."

- NZPA