Golf: Campbell's Augusta hoodoo continues

AUGUSTA, Georgia - Michael Campbell's 10-year Augusta National golf hoodoo continued when he recorded an 11-over par 83 on the opening day of the US Masters.

Campbell's round included four starting bogeys along with a four-hole stretch mid-round when the former US Open winner dropped seven shots.

Campbell's score is his highest in 19 rounds of Augusta National. The 41-year-old arrived at Augusta National having never made the halfway cut in nine prior appearances, and that record seems certainly now to extend to 10 years.

Campbell also trailed the 96-player field by two strokes from former Augusta National champion Ian Woosnam who recorded an 81.

It is the second 83 Campbell has signed for this year, after carding a similar figure on first day of January's Abu Dhabi Championship.

Campbell looked a despondent figure at the back of the 18th green sitting on the corner of his golf bag sipping on a bottle of water as playing partners Ben Crane of American and Simon Dyson of England putted out to a hole located at the front edge of the green.

Moments earlier Campbell had the 18th green crowd cheering wildly after he played a superb wedge shot, from some 80 metres short left of the green, that landed some five metres behind the flag before rolling to a stop just a metre from the flag.

Campbell then asked if he could tap in his putt before making his way to a lonely corner at the back of the green.

Earlier Campbell bogeyed his opening four holes before making the turn with a bogey at the ninth to be five over par.

There was then a bizarre scenario down the par four 10th hole where Campbell hooked his drive nearly out-of-bounds.

His ball came to rest so close to out-of-bounds that his swing was impeded by one of Augusta's many cabins behind tall pine trees to the left of the 10th fairway.

Campbell sought and was afforded a free drop but his 4-iron second shot rebounded off another tree and back behind where he was standing.

He finally found the green in four and three putted for a triple bogey seven.

Then at the famed par three, 12th hole Campbell's 8-iron shot flew the green and landed in a back bunker from where he took a further four shots in an eventual double bogey.

Campbell slipped to 11-over par when he bogeyed the 14th.

There was some joy at the par five 15th when according to his England-born caddy, Roy Robinson, Campbell drained a 22 foot and two inch birdie putt.

Barring a complete turnaround in form, Campbell will now not return to Augusta National unless he wins another major championship or breaks back into the top-50 on the world rankings.

Campbell's next major will be on June 17 - the US Open at Pebble Beach for which he earned a 10-year exemption for winning the 2005 title.

- NZPA