Campbell sitting pretty after opening day washout

US Open champion Michael Campbell admitted yesterday’s wash-out at the Deutsche Bank Championship had been “a blessing in disguise”.

The opening day’s play in Hamburg was abandoned without a ball being struck after heavy rain left parts of the Gut Kaden course under water.

Play began 24 hours later this morning and Campbell cruised to a seven-under-par 65 to share the clubhouse lead with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, Italy’s Alessandro Tadini, Welshman Bradley Dredge and Australian Wade Ormsby a shot back in third.

Graeme McDowell is best of the Irish on three under with Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley next best, one shot further back.

New Zealander Campbell carded seven birdies and no bogeys in a flawless round, continuing where he left off in last week’s British Open championship.

“For me the delay was a blessing in disguise really because it’s been a very exhausting last six weeks and on Thursday I did nothing,” said Campbell, who held off Tiger Woods to win his first major title five weeks ago.

“I just slept and watched movies and tried to conserve a lot of energy. I needed to rest and it was more of a positive thing for me than a negative.”

Campbell missed the cut in his first five events this season but since putting a new driver in his bag for the Johnnie Walker Classic in Beijing at the end of April has enjoyed a superb run of form.

He finished third in China, fourth in the British Masters and eighth in the BMW Championship at Wentworth before his shock triumph at Pinehurst.

“The game feels easy right now but I still respect it,” said Campbell, who also finished fifth at St Andrews last week.

“When you think you have this game by the scruff of the neck it bites you back very quickly. Since I got the new driver my length and accuracy has definitely improved, if you look at the stats before and after the Johnnie Walker it’s like night and day.”

The 36-year-old has added more than 10 yards to his drives and improved his accuracy by 40%, and also believes he is focusing far better on each shot.

“In the past I’d get a little bit lazy and fall asleep for two or three holes and make a few silly errors, I think that’s why I’m so inconsistent with my performances throughout my whole career.

“Sometimes when you get tired you don’t really care what happens to the ball and don’t visualise a shot properly, but I’ve been focusing better for the last couple of months and it’s definitely helped my game.”

Playing partner Marcel Siem of Germany delighted the home crowds with a 67 to finish five under, alongside Korea’s KJ Choi, who also won a Rolex watch as the first player to eagle the par five 17th.

American John Daly could only manage a two over 74 after calling for a ruling on his opening hole, thinking the insert in his putter had come loose.

Two tour officials were called but ruled the insert was not loose and the club could therefore not be replaced.

Senior referee Andy McFee said: “It was not significantly deformed, nor was it loose. I could see nothing in the state of the club that would have allowed him to declare it unfit for play under the current rules.”