Golf: Ben Campbell battling through pain

Ben Campbell lining up a putt. Photo / NZME.

Kiwi golfer Ben Campbell has continued to play through the pain of a mystery chest injury as he leads the field at the mid-way point of the final PGA Tour of Australasia qualifying school event in Melbourne.

Campbell fired his second-straight four-under 68 at the Victoria Golf Club today as he moved to eight-under for the week, one stroke ahead of countryman Michael Long (-7).

Australians Leigh McKechnie and Edward Stedman are in a share of third at six-under, while Brad Shilton is the next best of the New Zealanders at four-under in a share of fifth.

Players are chasing a spot inside the top 50 to secure their tour cards for the coming year. Those ranked 26-50 following this week's 75-player event hold limited status but those from 2-25 have a better chance of gaining a start in most of the events on tour in 2015.

The winner of this week's four-round event earns AUD$4000 (NZ $4164), a higher level of exemption on tour and will gain incentives to play internationally on the OneAsia Tour.

Campbell has been troubled by a chest ailment since May and despite extensive tests, no definitive diagnosis has been made.

"It was a bit scrappy out there," Campbell said of his round. "It really hurt warming up hitting driver so I didn't hit any drivers out there.

"I made a goal to get to 12-under for the week so that's still within sight and easily doable."

Campbell, who turned professional in 2012, said he wanted to win the event rather than just coast during the final two days to secure his playing rights.

"You need to keep the hammer down, it's a course where someone could easily get out and shoot eight-under."

Of the other Kiwis in the field, Daniel Pearce is in a share of 12th at two-under, Harry Bateman and Sven Puymbroeck are in a tie for 41st at three-over and amateur Josh Munn is in equal 46th at four-over.

Those with work to do in the final two rounds are: Mathew Perry (T54th, +6) and amateurs Vaughan McCall and Hayden Beard (T60th, +7) and Campbell Rawson (T73rd, +12).