Campbell revels in isolation to grab early lead

Michael Campbell might have thought there was something wrong with his mouthwash during the second round of the Smurfit European Open here. At one point he found himself in splendid isolation as his playing partners deserted him and headed for the clubhouse.

No sooner had Pierre Fulke retired after eight holes, complaining to Campbell of a back problem but informing tournament officials of a wrist injury, than Phillip Price also made his apologies and departed.

Price, who had a pain in the neck, at least had the decency to walk one hole with Campbell who proceeded to bogey it. "It's strange to play on your own in a tournament and have a fellow player watching you,'' Campbell said. "It actually put me off.''

The dropped shot was a rare mistake from Campbell who went on to compile a 71 for a five under par total of 139 at the half-way stage. Once again he found himself in splendid isolation, at the top of the leader board.

Campbell is a stroke in front of the Englishman Barry Lane who also shot 71, and the Welshman Mark Pilkington, and two in front of Padraig Harrington who returned a 69.

At the Arnold Palmer designed course at the K Club, playing to every inch of its 7,337 yards following heavy rain, the casualties were mounting.

After Price made his exit, following a triple bogey and a bogey, the American Fred Funk was recruited from the three ball in front to keep Campbell company. "I thought no one liked me on this tour,'' Campbell said. "It's the first time I've ever played with three professionals in one day.''

The 33-year-old Maori, who has won four tournaments on the European tour in eight years, is currently 19th in the Order of Merit and ranked 29th in the world, statistics which trouble him. "It's time to rectify a few things,'' Campbell said. "One thing that has really bugged me over the last couple of years is that I have made only one cut in the last six majors which is very, very poor. I think my attitude was wrong. I go out and try too hard. I get really tense. I think about making the cut rather than winning the tournament. Every time I go to a major either here or in the United States every part of my muscles tenses up.

"It shouldn't be that way. I'm good enough to win a major. I've competed against the best players in the world, I've beaten them a few times and I have the game to win. It's a question of getting the right mind set.''

Campbell led the Open after three rounds at St Andrews in 1995 before failing to make the play-off in which John Daly beat Costantino Rocca. Being within touching distance of the Silver Claret Jug, but failing to grasp it is the stuff of broken legends.

Asked if he thinks about his experience over the Old Course seven years ago, Campbell replied: "I do actually. I think that is what really killed Jean Van de Velde at Carnoustie. On the surface he might think he is jovial and always joking about what happened to him at the last hole but it must be killing him inside. I had a chance to win the Open and I still think about it. If you don't you are not human. If I won the Open this year all my demons or ghosts would be buried.

"In 1995 I was overcome by all the attention. I was 26, it was my first year on tour and I was leading the Open. I come from a very humble background. I was born in a little country town with a population of 2000 people. I was shunted in the limelight from being a quiet little Maori boy to this superstar of golf. I didn't like it to be honest.''

Yesterday, Rocca shot 82 to miss the half-way cut by a country mile and Van de Velde 81 to do likewise.

SMURFIT EUROPEAN OPEN (K Club, Straffan, Co Kildare) Leading second-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 139 M Campbell (NZ) 68 71. 140 B Lane 69 71; M Pilkington 71 69. 141 P Lawrie 70 71; J Donaldson 70 71; J Haeggman (Swe) 68 73; D Fichardt (SA) 67 74; J Berendt (Arg) 68 73; P Sjoland (Swe) 71 70; P Harrington 72 69. 142 RKarlsson (Swe) 70 72; J Moseley (Aus) 67 75; S Delagrange (Fr) 69 73; A Coltart 72 70; B Dredge 71 71.