Chad

Campbell

Campbell was first alternate for this week’s event at Detroit Golf Club, but he pulled out after testing positive as part of the pre-tournament screening process. The four-time Tour winner last played three weeks ago at the Charles Schwab Challenge, where he missed the cut. Campbell’s lone made cut in seven starts came at the Houston Open, where he tied for ninth. The Tour also announced that three Korn Ferry Tour players have withdrawn from the TPC Colorado Championship. Among them was Brandon Wu, who notably had received a sponsor’s exemption into next week’s Workday for Charity Open on the PGA Tour. It remains to be seen if Wu will be medically cleared to tee it up at Muirfield Village.

This was the Texan’s 14th appearance, 11th cash, fifth top 25, first since T11 in 2011, and potentially a second top 10, joining a T2 in 2008. He improves to 1-for-2 on the season and is eyeing his first top 10 since solo 2nd at the 2018 Barracuda. After opening with 70-72-68, the UNLV alum began T15 on 6-under, two short of the overnight top 10. On six (of 14) fairways and 15 greens in regulation, he lost 1.543 strokes off-the-tee but gained 2.284 on approach, offsetting two bogeys with six birdies. The 44-year-old recorded 1.733 putts per GIR and 1.890 SG: Putting, ending the week with 18 birdies versus eight bogeys.

The 45-year-old Texan is benefitting from a thin field this week as he plays this season from the Beyond 150 Category. Campbell finished 153rd in the FedExCup standings last season with a 4-for-13 record. It was the first time he’d missed more cuts than he made since he burst onto the scene in 2003. Gamers should watch closely this season to see if he can snap back into form or determine if Father Time has truly taken its toll on Campbell.

The Texan came out firing today with two approach shots that landed inside 12 feet on holes No. 1 and 2 (he missed both). Taking putter out of the equation, Campbell got those strokes back on the par-4 third hole when he holed out for eagle from 136 yards. By day’s end, Campbell gave himself seven scoring chances inside 14 feet and saved par twice from right around 14 feet. The highlight on the greens was a 32'7" birdie bomb at the 17th. Playing this season on conditional status, Campbell entered the week with a 2-for-6 record in stroke-play events with nothing better than T42 at the Puerto Rico Open.

The 44-year-old finished 129th in the FedExCup standings last season, making 15 cuts and missing 13. He recorded a career-tying-low three top 25s (2014) with two of those top 10s, both coming in his last five events, which jumped him from 181st in FEC points to 124th, but then missed the cut at the regular-season-ending Wyndham. Since a runner-up finish at the opposite-field Barracuda in August, his 12th in 475 events and first since 2009, the UNLV alum has missed four straight cuts, including an 0-for-3 stint to begin this season. He owns four TOUR titles but his most recent win was the 2007 Viking Classic 301 starts ago.

He’s been replaced in the field by John Rollins.

Campbell hit just one fewer green today (12) but converted four fewer birdies (two). Both dropped in on the par 5s on Harbour Town’s front side during his second nine. His most notable hole-outs were par saves of 17'8" at the 12th hole and from four yards out from just off the green at the 18th.

Campbell hit 13 greens, which is a strong total at Harbour Town. He went on to convert three of those birdie opportunities, including rolls of 20'10" and 19'6" at the seventh and ninth holes, respectively. He also poured in a par save of 10'11" at the 12th. This is a much-needed effort after starting this year 4-for-9 with no top 25s.

Campbell is now even par for the tournament at 71-76-69=216 and looks to finish inside the top 70 for just the second time in 2012. He’s usually a steady player, but for the season he’s really struggled on the greens ranking 186th in Strokes Gained-Putting and 172nd in total putting. Things have been a little better this week, as his 54-hole putting average is 1.784.

Campbell has only made three cuts in eight attempts and has yet to pop the cork on a top-25 finish. He would likely welcome a repeat performance of last year’s 13thplace tie in this event. His struggles this year have come by way of the putter, ranking 181st in Strokes Gained-Putting and 171st in total putting.