New
Zealand's Michael Campbell held off a charging Tiger Woods to
clinch his maiden major title by two shots at the 105th US Open on
Monday morning.
The 36-year-old Campbell, four off the pace overnight, collected
four birdies and three bogeys to close with a one-under-par 69 in
difficult conditions at Pinehurst's No.2 course.
Despite dropping two shots in the last three holes, he finished on
a level 280 to become the first Kiwi to win a major title since
left-hander Bob Charles took the British Open at Lytham 42 years
ago.
"I've had to work very hard for this with plenty of ups and downs
throughout my career, but this is all worth the work," an emotional
Campbell told reporters.
"This is what I've practised for. This is going to change my whole
career. I can't believe I'm holding this trophy."
Masters
champion 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 69.
"If I had putted normally, I would be looking a lot better right
now," a rueful Woods told reporters.
South Africa's Retief Goosen, three strokes clear overnight, threw
away his chance of a third US Open title by dropping six shots in
the first nine holes. Five more bogeys after the turn led to a
dismal 81 and a share of 11th place at eight-over 288.
"I got off to a bad start and from there on it pretty much went
downhill the whole way," said Goosen, US Open champion at Southern
Hills in 2001 and again at Shinnecock Hills last year.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia and South Africa's Tim Clark carded matching
70s to tie for third at five over, level with Australia's Mark
Hensby, who recorded a 74.
"I played well today," said Garcia. "The pins were tough and I
really feel like I shot the highest score I could shoot
today.
"You've got to get breaks and you've got to make a couple of
putts."
Spectacularly folded
South African Goosen, who spectacularly folded on the last day, ran
into early trouble at the second where he overshot the green with
his approach and then chipped the ball back over the front side
with his third.
Unable to get up and down from there for a bogey-five, he slipped
to one under for the tournament before a three-putt at the third
dropped him further to level.
He wasted a good opportunity to birdie the par-five fourth for the
fourth day in row, having reached the green in two, and then
bogeyed the par-four fifth after pulling his tee shot into the left
rough.
He then dropped further shots on six and nine after missing
relatively short putts before his struggles continued on the back
nine.
He was in good company, though, with most of the field struggling
on Pinehursts's tight fairways and humpbacked greens.
Twice champion Ernie Els fired his lowest score of the week, a
level-par 70 earning him a share of 15th at nine-over 289 while
Phil Mickelson, winner of last year's Masters, returned a 74 to
finish at 12 over in a tie for 33rd.
Davis Love III, the 1997 US PGA champion, equalled the low round of
the day with a one-under-par 69 to finish at six-over 286.
"It's definitely a test of patience out there," said the
41-year-old American. "These greens are extreme and the pin
placements were very, very hard. It was hard to make birdies.
"I'm extremely disappointed with the first round," added Love, who
opened with a 77 before producing scores of 70, 70 and 69. "But I
put it out of my head and played three good days after that."
