Five of Europe’s best players confirmed there’s life after 40 on day two of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
New Zealand’s Michael Campbell leads a unique over-40 leaderboard in suburban Fanling with the 43-year old and former US Open champ holing a testing 10-foot putt for birdie at the last to shoot a round of a six-under par 64 and move to nine-under par.
Michael Campbell heads five over-40 year olds who top the leader board after two rounds of the UBS Hong Kong Open. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Four other over-40 year olds fill the next four positions on the board with Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, aged 48 posting a 67 to share second place on eight under par with 47-year old Lian-wei Zhang of China (66) and 40-year old Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed (66).
And dashing 42-year old Dane Anders Hansen matched Campbell’s 64 to be fifth on seven under par.
Campbell is looking to end a seven-year winless drought since his last win, defeating Ireland’s Paul McGinley to secure the then biggest prize cheque on the European Tour – £1m as the top prize for the HSBC World Match-Play Championship.
But after a third place in the recent Portugal Masters, Campbell is ready to win again.
“It’s been a gradual buildup the last three or four months, a few Top 15s while Portugal was a great boost to my confidence, and it shows this week,” he said.
“The last couple days, it’s been pretty solid from tee‑to‑green. The whole short game has been pretty good, too.
“So you can’t buy confidence, you just have to earn it, and I think I’ve earned it over last seven years since I haven’t won a golf tournament. I have been patient.
“And here have been times where I wanted to throw it in, but what’s really inspired me over the last, particularly over the last four or five years, is seeing my friends around the same age bracket as me, 40‑plus club: The likes of Ernie winning his fourth major, Thomas Björn winning three times last year. So not just me: Paul Lawrie, a wonderful last couple of years; Harrington, he’s 40 now; Jim Furyk winning the FedExCup. And the list goes on. So being 40 isn’t that bad playing golf. (Laughter).
“So seeing my friends win tournaments left, right and centre definitely inspired me to don’t give up and keep on playing.”
