Rugby Great Joins Campbell In Augusta
Bernie McGuire, Augusta, Georgia
Tuesday, 7th April, 2010
Walking with Michael Campbell for the opening two days of practice for this week’s U.S. Masters is long-time coach, Jonathon Yarwood and Australian Rugby great George Gregan.
Gregan has represented his country more than any other rugby star but it’s first-ever visit to Augusta National.
Gregan is a guest of Campbell and aside from being behind the ropes supporting the fellow Sydneysider, he’s also residing at the house Campbell has rented in Augusta for the week.
The former Wallabies captain got his first look at Augusta on Sunday when he travelled with Campbell down Magnolia Lane in the gleaming white courtesy car Campbell has for use this week.
First stop was the stately Augusta National clubhouse where the trio had a late breakfast ahead of Campbell heading for the new state-of-the-art practice range.
“When George walked into the Augusta clubhouse, he was like a kid in a candy store,” said Campbell.
“His eyes just lit up and he’s had a great time since coming over here.”
Gregan had flown to Florida where he caught up with Campbell and Yarwood at Yarwood’s Golf Academy within the Concessions Golf Club at Bradenton just south of Tampa on Florida’s west coast.
Campbell also intends drawing on Gregan’s knowledge of at competing at the highest level to finally break his horrific run of having missed all halfway cuts in his nine Augusta National appearances.
“George and I have been friends for a long time and he’s achieved so much in his sport,” said Campbell.
“But since coming over to the States, he’s said to me that he can’t believe how much time we put into our sport.
“He didn’t really realise until he watched me on the range at the Concessions and then this week what is the extent of my preparations ahead of Augusta.
“And we’ve sat down and talked about how he coped with various situations when he captaining Australia and how that can benefit me.
So in many ways, while he’s my guest this week, I will be able to draw on his knowledge and hopefully that can help me.
”Campbell arrived at the course early afternoon local time on Tuesday ahead of playing a late nine-hole practice round.Sensibly, he and Yarwood found the only bit of shade from the heat and that was under the cover of a tree planted on the far right edge of the new state-of-the-art practice range.
It was also just prior to arrival at Augusta that Campbell learned his opening round tee time of 10.57am local time and competing in the company of England’s Simon Dyson and American Ben Crane.
“It’s a pretty good tee mid-morning so I am happy with that,” he said.
“I know Simon pretty well as we compete on the European Tour and Ben seems a great chap so it should be fun.”
And Campbell indicated he was not concerned, one way or the other had he been drawn with Tiger Woods.
“I’ve played alongside Tiger many times before and given he hasn’t played since we were both in Melbourne, it would not have worried me,” he said.
“I know Steve his caddy really so it didn’t bother me one way or the other.”
Campbell will wind down his preparations by playing nine holes on Wednesday morning before Gregan caddies for him in the Par Three Contest.Campbell was due to play the Par Three event in the company of American Todd Hamilton and Australia’s Robert Allenby.
But he then bumped into Australia’s Ian Baker-Finch late on Tuesday and was quizzed by the 1991 British Open champion who he was playing with in the Par Three contest.Baker-Finch then hinted he would ask Hamilton if he would swap tee times so that Baker-Finch can join up with Campbell and Allenby.