Golf: Campbell leads the home brigade

By DAVID LEGGAT

At 8.50 this morning, Michael Campbell will set out to lead a home charge in defence of an impressive record when the New Zealand Open golf championship starts at The Grange.

When the world No 15 clinched an emotional win in front of his parents and family at Paraparaumu Beach last year, just up the road from where he grew up, Campbell made it four-from-four Open titles for New Zealand golfers since 1996. This followed Michael Long, Greg Turner and Matthew Lane.

That represents the best run by New Zealand players since the Second World War, but the increasing Australian presence will not make the job any easier in the TelstraSaturn-sponsored event.

The last four winners line up in the $500,000 tournament today, as does the last overseas player to lift the Open trophy, Australian Peter O'Malley.

O'Malley knows The Grange well. He won the Open title there in 1995, one of his many trips to the event since his debut in 1986, which happened to be his final appearance as an amateur.

Only five of the Australasian PGA Order of Merit's top 20 are here, and no headline acts from the United States.

But as the debate bubbles along over the merits of paying big appearance fees to get the O'Mearas, Mickelsons, Duvals and You Know Who to New Zealand, O'Malley, who is on the cusp of the world's top 100 players, is well placed to assess the tournament's standing.

"They would want as much money [in appearance fees] as we're playing for in the purse this week," said the New South Welshman.

"You're going to get a fairly strong field here for the budget. There are a lot of good players in Australia and New Zealand. You don't need too many other [overseas] people."

O'Malley also put an interesting slant on the issue of paying serious money for top overseas players as opposed to getting rising domestic talent.

"No superstar player is going to attract more people to watch him than Michael at the moment, and he's going to be in that league soon."

Well, one player perhaps, but the point is a good one, and that is why Campbell's progress will attract the greatest interest this week.

He is in an appealing trio today, with former US amateur champion David Gossett and capable Western Australian Brett Rumford.

Gossett, who shot a 59 during his unsuccessful bid for a US PGA Tour card late last year, warmed up for The Grange by sharing fifth place at the Victorian Open last weekend. He arrives with a glowing reputation as a player of distinct promise.

That threesome is right behind Turner, O'Malley and New South Welshman Brett Ogle, who in turn tee off straight after perennial gallery favourite Sir Bob Charles, 1995 champion Lucas Parsons and well-performed Australian Rod Pampling.

Turner was not exactly talking up his chances yesterday. When last at The Grange, he suggested it was "a field with trees." He was more diplomatic yesterday, but made it clear that the layout did not have him doing cartwheels.

"It doesn't suit my game. I've never felt comfortable on courses where you have aerial hazards, and there's a lot of that at The Grange," he said.

Still, the 1997 champion likes the fact that the fairways have been extensively watered to take the sting out and predicted low scoring, provided the wind stays away.

However, you will not get him tipping a winner - "a long time ago I gave up trying to predict the outcome of a golf tournament."

Turner did take a jab at the prizemoney on offer.

He pointed out that the purses around the world were "significantly greater" than five years ago, that there was a far wider television audience, yet the financial spinoff at the Open was not there.

"It [the tournament] seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut at the moment."

Among the contenders, do not discount O'Malley, a consistent player who could make an impact.

"I feel the rhythm in my swing is not too bad," he said."It's a matter of getting some tournament rounds. As long as the brain is working okay, I think I'll do all right."

Australian Ian Baker-Finch has pulled out of the Open, suffering from a lower back injury.