Michael Campbell feels his whole career has been turned round again after capturing the Nissan Irish Open in dramatic fashion at Portmarnock last night. Campbell beat Open runner-up Thomas Bjorn and Swede Peter Hedblom by hitting a 145-yard eight-iron to within inches of the flag at the first hole of a sudden death play-off which had to be delayed for 40 minutes because of a thunderstorm.
"I was very, very in control of my emotions out there - I was very calm," said the 34-year-old, who has returned to the European tour after a real nightmare time in America.
Ranked 18th in the world at the start of the year, Campbell followed a first round exit in the Accenture world match play championship in California in February by missing nine halfway cuts out of nine on the US circuit. He pulled out of the Bay Hill event in March after taking a 10 at the first hole and then the next week had a first round 89 in the Players Championship and was disqualified for signing for a wrong score.
"I never doubted I would be back," he said. "I knew I had the determination and the support I've had from my close circle has been great. This has turned my whole career around again. I haven't been competing in a tournament for 13 months (since he won the European Open at the K Club, but it's incredible how it comes back very quickly.
"I was going to take the week off, but my manager and my caddie convinced me to play and I got my entry in just before the deadline. I put new clubs in my bag, started a new pre-shot routine - and now I'm new-born!"
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
