J. E. Griffith
When the 105th United States Open Championship was completed in Pinehurst last month, an underdog from down under held the trophy high for all to see.
Congratulations to 36 year old Michael Campbell from Wellington New Zealand. The first New Zealander to win a major since left hander Bob Charles won the 1963 British Open.
I have always believed that very few golfers have won the U.S.Open Championship. The winner is usually the last player to be eliminated by the course and at Pinehurst No.2 this year - that is exactly what happened. The old girl decided to take strokes back from front runners Reteif Goosen, Olin Browne, another crowd favorite Jason Gore, Tiger and many, many other world-class professionals and amateurs.
Over the four days, all but one player lost par to the 98 year old Donald Ross designed Pinehurst No.2 golf course.
Personally, I love it. When the best players in the world cannot shoot par. It is always more exciting to me to see how a professional will approach a difficult shot from three inch rough or try and get up and down from 50+ feet off the green with a putter, wedge or even a hybrid iron. I guess what I am saying is - it gives all of us duffer’s hope, ‘cause we have had those shots hundred’s of times and rarely make par.
Michael shot an even par 280 and won by two strokes over the crowd favorite Tiger Woods.
During the post press interview Campbell began... “As for winning the U.S. Open, well, it’s been a journey, my career. I was thinking about people back home in New Zealand, and my wife who is in England right now. Julie and my two boys, Thomas and Jordan, because they couldn’t be here with me right now.”
“And obviously, Father’s Day, my Dad watching me back home in New Zealand, and all the family, my Mum, my sister, my two nephews, all my relations back home watching me. I could feel that. I could feel how proud they were of me. And that started me off.”
“And then the other thing was that, you know, back in ’98 I was going to throw the game away and sell golf balls. I missed (getting) my European Tour card and also my Australasian Tour card. I had no place to play back in ’98 and luckily enough I got a few invites and regained my card back for both Tours. So emotionally it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. And I worked very hard, very, very hard. We don’t just come here and play golf and leave again. We prepare differently, obviously, but we work very, very hard, mentally and physically, all the players playing this week.”
“And today was…just having that putt to win the major championship, you dreamed about as a kid. I remember watching Augusta (The Masters) on TV. Because of the time difference in New Zealand we used to get up at 5 or 6 in the morning and watch it. I used to miss school sometimes, if there was a playoff. But, it’s just been an interesting journey the last 10 years. Leading the (British) Open Championship back in ’95 and having a chance to win a major championship, it wasn’t my time to win.”
“But today was,” said Campbell.
Kudos to a great Donald Ross course, Paul Jett and the grounds crew, a great job by all the thousands of volunteers, employees and executives at the U.S.G.A. and Pinehurst, truly the St. Andrews of America.
What a U.S. Open. What a Pinehurst. What a winner.
What a Michael Campbell, he beat the best players in the world.
Photography by Les Nagy
