Golf: Campbell relishes US Open course

The rough could present problems, but the wind factor at Pebble Beach will suit Michael Campbell just fine when he tees off in golf's US Open in California tomorrow morning.

Campbell and fellow New Zealander Frank Nobilo join the elite 156-strong field for the 100th US Open at the scenic Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Sitting on the edge of the ocean in all its splendour, the course nonetheless presents natural elements that will test the very best of golfers.

"The course is fantastic," Campbell said after a practice round yesterday.

"It's one of those courses that when you play it you appreciate it more. I've seen it on TV a few times but when you actually play it you really get to appreciate how hard it is.

"It's totally breathtaking, it's unbelievable - there are 14 to 15 holes where you see the ocean and it's kind of special."

Campbell's surge in form over the past eight months earned him a special invitation to Pebble Beach from the US Golf Association.

"There are 12 guys in front of me [in the rankings] who aren't in the US Open and had to pre-qualify," Campbell said.

"On the whole it's very hard to strive for an exemption and obviously last week when I got the phone call was very nice indeed, a sort of respect from the other side of the world.

"My summer in Australasia was fantastic and that's what probably put me up there a little bit."

Taking a relatively long break before returning to the European PGA, Campbell's form fluctuated a little but he showed signs of a return to his best when he came second in the English Open earlier this month.

Campbell's dramatic form reversal has seen him climb from 465 in the world rankings two years ago to a current 38. His career-best is 28 after announcing his prolific talent to the world following a heady 1995.

"One of my ultimate goals is to be in the top 10 in the world," he said. "To achieve that goal you've got to have short and medium-term goals - winning tournaments, doing well in the majors and those sort of things.

"If I just keep on concentrating on what I'm doing, just working hard on my game and working hard on my fitness and all those other aspects of golf, those sort of things will come as part of the package."

Campbell, playing his second open after a mediocre debut in 1996, singles out the rough around the greens as the main difference between the American and European approach.

"The Americans are so used to it," he said. "Every week they play in those conditions and the rough is so normal to them whereas we only come up against this type of rough twice or three times a year. It's very unforgiving.

"I think when the Americans come across a certain lie in the long rough they know how to play it where the Europeans, they sort of panic a little bit and it's just through lack of practice."

- NZPA