Michael

Campbell

At 281st in the Official World Golf Rankings, Campbell has actually rebounded from lesser days. While his recent form has included missed cuts in seven of his last eight starts worldwide, he did manage a third-place finish at the Portugal Masters late in 2012. Don’t get too excited about his chances this week or you will be disappointed.

Campbell got in because he qualified at the first ever European Open qualifier, but still wasn’t even sure he was coming. He missed his first five cuts of the year in Europe, but had gone on a five-tournament tear recently and kept the train rolling this weekend. He didn’t blink today and hit a couple 20-footers late to help seal the win. Maybe this will jump-start him into becoming the player we heard so much hype about four or five years ago.

The 2005 U.S. Open champ at Pinehurst shared the news on his website. “I have had some problems with a tendon in my left ankle that stopped me from playing for 2 to 3 months,” he wrote, alluding to time off since missing the cut at the ABU Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in mid-January. “The good news is that I am back swinging and now managing to play 18 holes.” While his physical health is improving, his emotional state of mind isn’t likely 100 percent. Cambo added that he and his wife have separated. As a result of this combination of challenges, he’s also taking a pass on next week’s BMW PGA Championship. Campbell hasn’t been on fantasy radars in some time, so we’ll continue to omit him from our Injury Report.

If it wasn’t for bad luck ... “I was hitting balls on the range on Wednesday morning and felt a lower back pain,” Cambo said, “and then warming-up this morning, I felt a shooting pain in my right arm. Then in playing my tee shot at the third hole, I just felt this shooting pain down my spine.” He required treatment four times and popped some pain-killers during his round, and plans to ice it in advance of his Friday afternoon tee time. “Hopefully it will be okay tomorrow because the last thing I want, with the U.S. Open just a month away, is to be sidelined with another injury.”

Small step forward? Debatable. While Campbell completed 18 holes in competition for the first time in four months, he carded three bogeys and three doubles at Bay Hill today, hit just nine GIR and needed 30 putts. Not the kind of warm-up for the Masters for which he had hoped.

Campbell’s 2009 has turned into a joke. If he doesn’t withdraw, then the goal is to break 80. He managed both today, but at some point, we wouldn’t be shocked if he shuts it down to have surgery to fix his shoulder. Of course, we’ve thought that for eight months now.

Here we go again. Campbell’s woes due to his shoulder (torn rotator cuff) have lasted six months now. He shot an outward 45 before calling it quits today. Next up for the Kiwi is next week’s Irish Open. Maybe.

Back in action since withdrawing during his first round at THE PLAYERS, Campbell managed just two birdies - both on par 5s - and has quite a bit of work ahead on Friday to make his first cut since the Dunhill Links in October. A duffer league’s delight, Campbell is eligible for every major through the 2010 U.S. Open.

Here we go again. Campbell was 13-over-par through 12 holes of his second round and an aggregate 21-over for the tournament when he pulled out. He may or may not try again at next week’s SAS Masters, where he’s listed in the published field. Campbell’s exemption into the majors via his 2005 U.S. Open title expires at the 2010 Masters. Therefore, we’ll continue to keep tabs on him.

Michael Campbell has had a very slow start to the season. He missed the cut in his first three events on the European Tour and then had to withdraw from the Malaysian Open due to heat exhaustion after carding an 84 in the opening round. His website lists his next event as the Shell Houston Open and fantasy managers will have to see where his game is then. His place in the field has been taken by John Riegger, whose best finish at the Zurich Classic is a T-16 from 2003.