Campbell back with renewed inspiration
Bernie McGuire
Thursday, 27th May, 2010
Michael Campbell has spoken at length for the first time about his life and his golf ahead of his return to competition at today's (Thursday) starting Madrid Masters in Spain.
According to reports from Spain the 41-year-old New Zealander has fallen so far that when qualifying for the Open is held at Sunningdale on Monday week he needs 26 players to have pulled out just to get a tee-off time.
But Campbell, now 650th in the world, is not concerned whether he can make his first halfway cut for over seven months this week - he just wants to start enjoying his career again.
"I have no expectations - I'm just going to play with no score in my mind at all," he said.
Campbell added: "I'm not thinking about consequences or results. You have to hit the bottom before you can start climbing again and that's what I did at Augusta."
Campbell left the Georgia golfing gem saying 'Mentally I'm not there and maybe I should get away for a month or six months or who knows - I need to get myself sorted out."
And Campbell has revealed the person who has given him the inspiration to get back into the deep end of professional golf.
That person is Dr Clark Perry, one of Australia's best-known psychologists whose athletes have included swimming stars Ian Thorpe and Kieren Perkins and the Wallabies rugby union team.
"It's just basic stuff that I've known before, but I needed to hear it again," Campbell added.
"Deep down I always knew I would be back and I still believe there are highs ahead. I have no doubt about that - that's why I am here. Otherwise it's a waste of time, effort and money.
"I've gone through bad spells before and it can take just one shot, one hole, nine holes or one round that triggers me."
Thanks to his 2005 U.S. Open success when he beat Tiger Woods down the stretch at Pinehurst, Campbell is only halfway through his 10-year European Tour exemption.
"That's a nice cushion and it means I can take my time in this and still enter just about any tournament I want," he said.
However Campbell is not exempt for July's British Open adn it will mean having to attend a 36-hole qualifier next month at Sunningdale if he's to play at the Home of Golf in July.
"If that's what I have to do then that's what I will do - St Andrews is very close to my heart," he commented.