| Show Campbell wins US U.S. Open Don Markus The Baltimore Sun Michael Campbell could sense what was happening Sunday at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in the final round of the US U.S. Open He didn't have to look at the leader boards all he had to do was hear the distant roars and feel the sun-baked sun fairways shaking Tiger Woods was coming and coming coming coming com com- ing on strong Maybe it was Campbells Campbell's heritage t that t 4 dates back a tp fhe fi fierce e Maori tn tribesmen esmen in m his native New Zealand Maybe it was his own mettle that allowed him im to forget the three three- stroke lead he lost in the of the 1995 Br British Open at St. St Andrews For whatever reason Campbell barely barely barely bare bare- ly flinched on a day when the No 2 course left many of the worlds world's best golfers totally flummoxed With a number of crucial birdie putts and a couple of big saves for par Campbell overtook defending champion Goosen of South Africa and held off Woods to win With a round of under par 69 tying three others including Woods for the best score of the day and a round four-round total of par even-par Campbell beat Woods by two strokes to win the first major championship of a career that was nearly ended by a serious wrist injury seven years ago Campbell played the way many past Open champions have in the final round not spectacularly but solidly enough He had four birdies three boge bogeys s and 11 pars including six consecutive beginning on the par 4 second hole that allowed him to tie for and eventually take the lead I was sneaking in there said Campbell who started the round trailing Goosen by four strokes There was little old me hanging just justin in between some great players the worlds world's best players And I snuck in there and without anybody noticing really I won Campbell the first New Zealander to win a major since Bob Charles took the British Open in 1963 nearly collapsed in the th arms of his caddie i putt for bogey bogey He was also lS by countryman countryman countryman coun coun- tryman Steve Williams who caddies for for Woods The victory was worth million nearly twice what the late Payne Stewart received after winning the Open here in 1999 and helped end enda a long and sometimes tortuous journey journey journey jour jour- ney Campbell began when he shot a round final-round 76 on the Old Course a decade ago to finish one stroke out of ofa a playoff won by John Daly It also came after Campbell missed the cut in hi the Open the previous four years I can remember watching this tournament tournament tournament tour tour- six years ago in my home in England and when Payne won it was very emotional Campbell 36 said after accepting the silver loving cup and gold medal for his victory For Forme Forme Forme me to stand here and accept the same trophy Im I'm very very honored In finishing second in a major for only the second time in his career Woods saw his chance at a third US U.S. Open title and major championship championship championship champi champi- elude him I Woods believed he lost this tournament tournament tournament tour tour- I on the greens and statistics I support him Despite finishing firstin first firstin firstin in driving distance yards and greens in hi regulation 75 percent percent percent per per- cent Woods was tied for to next-to- last in putts per round 32 Only Vijay Singh now the worlds world's No 2 player behind Woods was worse I just could not get the speed right Woods said And if you cant can't get the speed right you cant can't get the line right If you look at my putts short long short long then you start to fiddle around youre you're ul trying to J force r e t the ball l. l in ino the 7 Yh ft i J li I hole o e. e As surprising as it was for Campbell to win it was nearly as shocking to watch Goosen fall apart Looking to win his second straight Open and third in five years Goosen played the front nine in over 6 and finished with an 11 over 81 Its been a bad day said Goosen who made nine bogeys and a dou dou- I bogey ble-bogey to fall to a tie for 11 the Unfortunately those things hap hap- pen It happened to Ernie Els shooting 80 in the final round of the Open at Shinnecock Hills and unfortunately this year was my turn Goosen who entered the day with witha a three-stroke three lead was not the only player with a chance to win who imploded Tour journeyman journey journey- man Olin Browne and Nationwide Tour player Jason Gore who came Golf Continued on Page 12 Golf Continued from page 11 into the day tied for second at even par shot 80 and 84 Stuff like that happens at the US U.S. Open and Ill I'll be a better player for it said Gore 31 who dropped to a tie for Playing with Browne in the to next-to-last pairing of the day Campbell could see the problems problems problems lems the year old veteran was having and also heard the groans coming from the gallery with Goosen and Gore But Butmore Butmore Butmore more importantly he could hear what was going on ahead of him particularly two groups ahead of him That was where Woods was making his charge After starting with bogeys on each of the first two holes to fall to over 5 and eight strokes behind Goosen Woods showed why he is again the worlds world's No 1 l player Still 4 over at the turn Woods made three birdies in the next six holes I thought I needed to get to even par said Woods who punctuated his final birdie in that stretch on the par 3 with his trademark fist pump I needed to birdie the last two holes and hopefully get into a playoff It didn't happen Woods drove into the deep rough on the par 4 and bogeyed then three- three putted the par 3 for bogey A few minutes later Campbell made a footer 20 for birdie on the same hole With Woods making birdie at the par 4 Campbell had a three-shot three cushion cushion cushion cush cush- ion going into the last hole Sinking that birdie on 17 was wasa a turning point but I said to my caddie Just keep me focused Campbell said Despite hitting his tee shot into the left rough and chunking out his next shot no more than 70 yards Campbell did stay focused He stuck his approach six feet from the cup Though he missed the putt that would have given him the days day's best score he tapped in to take home one of the games game's most coveted tro tro- tro- tro As he raised his putter and then dropped it onto the green as he covered his eyes with the bill of his cap the tears flowed They didn't stop when he spoke to the crowd by the green or when he hugged Williams a longtime friend whom he kidded later abo about t finally passing in career earnings The silver loving cup never left his side long into the night Its unbelievable that's all I Ican Ican Ican can say Campbell said I worked hard for it I deserved it And I have it Its It's all mine |
