Michael Campbell has set himself the goal of qualifying for a first-ever Dubai World Tour Championship title later next month.
Campbell has put himself in frame to be eligible for the elite season-ending event after finishing third in the Portugal Masters. It was the New Zealander’s best finish in four years.
Michael Campbell now looking to qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Championship. (Photo – Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie)
But in bigger picture Campbell moved to 86th on the Race to Dubai and 26 places outside of the top-60 who will tee up in the $US 8.5m event starting in Dubai on November 22nd.
Campbell had finished 55th on the money list in 2007 and two years before the inaugural Dubai World Championship in 2009.
“I’ve never played in the Dubai World Championship so after my good result in Portugal that is now the big goal,” he said.
“I’ve got three tournaments left and need to make about Euro 150,000 to get myself inside the top-60.
“It’s just amazing how this game can turnaround so quickly for you.”
In fact, Campbell is Euro 166,335 adrift of 60th placed Anthony Wall but will need to probably pocket around Euro 200,000 to be assured of ending his European Tour season in Dubai.
But after the way the former U.S. Open performed in Portugal there’s every hope of Campbell achieving that goal either in this week’s $US 7m BMW Masters in Shanghai.
Campbell also will contest the November 8th starting $US 7m Barclays Singapore Open and the following week’s $US 2m UBS Hong Kong Open.
“I hadn’t been in a situation as I was in Portugal where I was so close to being in contention in a golf tournament for a long time,” said Campbell.
“But I just felt so comfortable and just felt so much under control.
“My biggest problem was not being able to take my good work from the practice range to the golf course but that’s now changing all for the better, and as we saw in Portugal.
“I now just feel comfortable with my swing and that’s freed up my mind of having any doubts standing over the ball.
“So everything seems to be coming together which is very pleasing.”
Campbell is no stranger to competing in Asia and also enjoying success having captured the 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic in Taiwan.
“I’ve always loved competing in China and I’ve got so many fond memories and none more so than winning the Johnnie Walker in Taiwan,” he said.
“It was my first European Tour victory, so it’s always going to be special. I won in Indonesia five years before that while I’ve also had success as an amateur.
“So I just enjoy coming to this part of the world to savour the culture and the Chinese food which is fantastic.”
Campbell arrived in Shanghai from Hainan Island where he had been competing in the Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am.
American Ryder Cup star, Matt Kuchar won the event among the dozen odd professionals and in an event featuring the likes of Olympic swim great, Michael Phelps, Hollywood legend, Andy Garcia and former Wimbledon ace, Pat Cash.
“The Mission Hills complex out there on Hainan Island is just fantastic with 10 golf courses and an incredible hotel,” said Campbell.
“We got treated like royalty and it was just brilliant.
“I played with American actor Ryan Reynolds who starred in the Green Lantern.
“It was just remarkable how the organisers managed to attract so many world stars and it was a great week and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”
