Golf: Campbell holds nerve to seal finest victory

By TERRY MADDAFORD

New Zealander Michael Campbell scored the biggest win of his golfing career by withstanding the last-day charge by some of the world's best to win the Johnnie Walker Classic at Taiwan's Ta Shee Golf and Country Club yesterday.

Campbell finished 12 under par on the 6580m course to win by one stroke in his first victory on the European Tour and take first prizemoney of $US207,000.

Defending champion Tiger Woods, who has yet to successfully defend any of the titles he has won in his short but illustrious career, finished sixth - five shots behind Campbell and one ahead of New Zealander Frank Nobilo, who came from the pack to finish in a tie for seventh in the $US1.3 million tournament to give Kiwi golfers their best result of the year.

After sharing the lead through the first and second rounds, Campbell had it all to himself heading into yesterday's fourth round after a three-under par 69 third round gave him a three-shot lead going into the final day.

But, in a seesaw day, Campbell, who could do little as big-hitting Australian Geoff Ogilvy clawed back a three-shot deficit to be level after 14 holes, finished steadily to beat Ogilvy by a stroke with fast-charging South African Ernie Els a shot back in third.

Campbell finished with a two-under 70 while Ogilvy, Els and Fijian Vijay Singh all fired 68 in their last rounds in maintaining the pressure on Campbell.

Els was four shots adrift of Campbell at the start of the last round but scored steadily on the last day.

Woods, who began badly by dropping four shots in his first nine holes, picked it up to play the back nine five under, finishing with a one-under 71.

Thirty-year-old Campbell began his last round with birdies on the first two holes and added a third on the par-five, 495m sixth only to double-bogey the par-three 166m seventh to let his playing partner Ogilvy close to within a stroke.

There was no such mistake on the next par three, when Campbell scored a birdie two. A dropped shot on the par-four 13th gave the Australian some hope, but Campbell scored an important birdie three on the par-four 15th to keep himself atop the leaderboard.

Ogilvy had a good start, with two pars followed by an eagle three on the third. He had birdies on the sixth and 15th but dropped his only shot of the round on the 17th before firing a birdie two - to Campbell's par - on the last.