Campbell back to earth with a bang

MICHAEL CAMPBELL genuinely believed he’d be ready when it came to tee-off time, but he was sadly mistaken.

The surprise US Open winner just couldn’t get focused and an opening 74, pieced together in the more favourable morning conditions, leaves him with a lot of work to do if he is to be around for the weekend.

“I just wasn’t there to be honest,” he admitted.

“My mind kept flashing back to what happened two weeks ago. I didn’t really know what to expect. I thought I’d be ready but I was wrong. It’s all a blur. It is an experience I haven’t had before and one I’m not used to.

“Hopefully I can shoot low over the next three days but right now I just want to go home, put my feet up and take it easy.”

Having started at the 10th, Campbell was cruising along nicely with a string of pars and a birdie at the short 5th. That was until he reached the treacherous 570 yards 7th with its new-style green protected by the River Liffey.

He was undone there by a bad drive and had to knock it out sideways and went on to three-putt the 17th from 30 feet. As for the 18th, he said “it was a prime example of what my day was like. I hit it to the front of the green with a driver and then made bogey from there. That was a two shot swing.”

Out in two over par, the Kiwi did well to keep it together over his second nine that included a birdie at the 1st which in turn was cancelled out by a bogey at the 7th.

“To try and perform two weeks after winning a major is hard but hopefully I have learned from it and can cope better the next time,” he commented.

The only Irishmen any way satisfied with their day were Gary Murphy, 68; Darren Clarke, 69, Damien McGrane, 70, and Graeme McDowell, 72, with the remaining nine struggling to make the cut.

Stephen Browne and Damien Mooney are on 75; Philip Walton, Colm Moriarty and Conor Mallon all shot 77; Paul McGinley 78, Padraig Harrington 79 and David Higgins, 83.