Michael Campbell – Looks Back 20 Years After Denying Woods US Open Glory & Bringing His Beloved New Zealand To A Standstill

3 months ago by Comments Off on Michael Campbell – Looks Back 20 Years After Denying Woods US Open Glory & Bringing His Beloved New Zealand To A Standstill

It was 20-years ago this past June and around 10am local time on a then Monday morning the 20th of June, 2005 that Michael Campbell brought the Land of the Long White Cloud to a standstill.

Cambo was already a New Zealand golfing legend having won six of a career haul of eight DP World Tour titles along with seven PGA Tour of Australasian victories and an Asian Tour win.

Though nothing quite prepared New Zealand for the manner of Cambo’s US Open triumph coming as it did 42-years after Bob Charles’ 1963 Open Championship success and in winning a maiden major by also denying Tiger Woods at the peak of Tiger’s own career with what would have been a then 10th Major title.

Michael Campbell plants a kiss on the US Open trophy (Image Getty)

On this Monday New Zealand morning train and buses were virtually empty along with offices, shopping centres and even the New Zealand Parliament halted proceedings to watch TV coverage of Cambo’s stride to victory  ahead of him being handed the gleaming US Open trophy.

‘Cambo’, as he is so affectionately known, was on the opposite side of the globe and on this Sunday afternoon the 19th of June, and contesting a 29th career major at the then 105th hosting of the US Open Championship on the famed Pinehurst No. 2 resort course in North Carolina.

Cambo had teed-up on day four sharing fourth place at one-over and four shots behind South African Retief Goosen who led the field at three-under and the only player then under par.  Tiger Woods was a further two shots back of Campbell at three-over and tied-seventh.

Goosen was the defending US Open champ and having also captured the 2001 title.

However, the champion South African nose-dived off the leaderboard shooting an 81 and falling back into an eventual tie for 11th place.

Into the breach jumped Cambo who boldly held off a charging Tiger Woods to become only a second New Zealander to win a major championship and with the then 36-year-old collecting four birdies and three bogeys to close with a one-under-par 69, joint best of the day.

Woods, who had been chasing his 10th career major, rallied from a bogey-bogey start and reeled off four birdies in the last nine holes to secure second place with a matching 69 and a plus two tally.

 

Bernie meets up wth 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell at Crail Golfing Society on 15th Augus, 2025 (GolfByTourMiss)

Bernie and Cambo on the 14th tee of the Balcomie Links course at Crail.  (Image – GolfByTourMiss)

“It’s great to see you Bernie and it’s remarkable it’s been 20-years and nice to be back here in Scotland and see you again”, said Cambo.

“It was a special moment in my career all of those 20-years ago since that stunning performance.   It was a special week for me to beat Tiger when he was in his prime made it even more special.

“It changed my life, obviously.

“So, it’s nice to be back here in Scotland and to see you, of course.

“As well, it’s just so good to be back here and playing links golf.  I love this type of golf and I’ve always my favourite form of the game”.

This journalist was present at the 2005 US Open while I had also been in attendance at the 1995 Open Championship when Cambo led going into the last day at St. Andrews only to lose out by a single shot in a play-off for the Claret Jug. I was filing copy to New Zealand Press Agency and as well as Cambo’s website.

Michael Campbell visits Crail Golfing Society in Scotland. Image GolfByTourMiss

Cambo and I were great friends while I was also engaged filing copy to various UK and Irish newspapers along with Associated Press and the French-based AFP in a career finding myself happily travelling the world to report on the men’s pro game.

Cambo turned 50 in 2019 and began competing in the Senior Tour events. Our paths crossed at the 2019 Dunhill Links Championship.  Five years earlier in 2014 I know how much it hurt him to post on his website news his 28-year marriage had broken down while also indicating an injury was forcing him to withdraw from the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst and where in 2005 there was his overwhelming US Open triumph.

I walked a few holes with him at Crail before the delight in formally speaking to him on the 12th tee of the Balcomie Links course at Crail.

“I must day twenty years has gone pretty fast”, said Cambo smiling broadly.

“No, it really has gone that fast as it seems like only yesterday and the memories of sinking that putt at the last hole and then being at the peak of my career was kind of special.  Then to win the World Match-Play three months later.  I had a pretty hot run that June, July and August.  Winning the US Open, third in The Open at St. Andrews, sixth in the PGA Championship and then to win the Match-Play”.

Fast forward to August 2025 and you can imagine our joint surprise when, purely by chance, we bumped into each other on the front steps of the Crail Golfing Society clubhouse at Crail in Scotland.

Cambo was exiting the clubhouse and I was gathered with dozens of other golfers who had left both courses at golf’s seventh oldest club due to a lightning warning that had halted play and were simply waiting around to get the ‘all clear’ call that it was safe to play.

Cambo on the 12th green at Crail Golfing Society – Image GolfByTourMiss

It was Cambo’s first visit to this corner of eastern Scotland since that 2019 Dunhill Links Championship.

We embraced each other and had many of those looking on wondering who were these and who clearly knew each other ahead of many recognising it was former US Open winning Michael Campbell while my fellow Crail members wondered who was Bernie having his photo taken with.

Cambo had been playing the Gil Hanse designed Craighead Links course and was heading to join his friends awaiting to return to their hotel though indicating they would be returning to Crail the next day to play the 189Old Tom Morris designed Balcomie Links course.

Then when Cambo arrived the next morning I was there to welcome him back to Crail.  It was like old times, me as the golf journalist walking the fairways and greens with Cambo, taking a handful of snaps and also savouring a wonderful four minute video chat with him as we stood on the 12th tee overlooking St. Andrews Bay.

Cambo is now living in Spain where he proudly owns and manages the Villa Padierna Michael Campbell Golf Academy at Marbella’s Villa Padierna Golf Resort that was opened in March 2014. It means he plays little professional golf other then the major events on the Champions Tour and the European Legends Tour.

“I’m 56 years old now, so for the past five or six years I have been playing several events on the Legends and Champions Tour’s and that means around 10 events a year while I am involved with my academy, as well”, he said.

“It’s been great for me to give back to the game that has given me so much.  I am also trying to do other things besides playing golf now (smiling).”

I could not get Cambo go without asking his thoughts on the present state of the men’s professional, still divided as it is and clearly nothing on the horizon to suggest men’s pro golf will get back onto the same page and so many wish.

“It’s different and totally different to when I was playing”, he says smiling.

“Obviously when I was playing we had Tiger around and he is the only one, and still the only one who moves the needle in golf, I think.  You have Rory and Scottie Scheffler doing their things which is fantastic.  Rory winning the Grand Slam this year was unbelievable.

“But then it’s completely shifted and the game has changed in a different way.  These guys out there competing now hit the ball so far now and compared when I was playing … they’re now flying the ball in the air 310, 320 yards, so it’s a very different ball game.  It’s a power game rather than a feel game.

“Though I’m old school and I think it is a shame really as the artistry of the game has been taken away and power has taken over”.

Though Cambo did say he really does not keep fully abreast of the daily comings and goings of the professional game though he does enjoy TV coverage of the many, many of the friends he has in professional golf.

One of those is fellow Kiwi Ryan Fox, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour.

“What Ryan had achieved on the DP World Tour and then moving last year full-time to the PGA Tour and now to have won twice this year is just fantastic”, said Campbell.

“The next level winning for him is definitely a major. He’s got the power off the tee, so it’s just a matter of time I feel he can achieve that goal”.

Once again, so good to meet-up with you Cambo and so lucky and grateful for your time and your continued friendship … Bernie 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Comments are closed.