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| June 21, 2005 | Tuesday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1426 |
Campbell holds off Tiger Woods for maiden major title
PINEHURST (North Carolina), June 20: 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 Sunday. 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, breezy 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 Royal Lytham 42 years ago.
New Zealander is the first come-from-behind winner at a US Open since American Lee Janzen overhauled a five-stroke deficit at Olympic in 1998.
US 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 matching, best-of-the-day 69.
However, his bid to match Ben Hogan as the only player to win the first two majors of the year on two occasions was dashed when he missed an eight-footer for par on 16 and three-putted for bogey on 17.
Campbell, who had to pre-qualify to book his place at Pinehurst, holed a 12-foot birdie putt at the first, dropped his first shot of the day at the par-four eighth and then sank a 30-footer for birdie at the par-five 10th to forge two clear.
Although he ended up bogeying the treacherous 16th and also the final hole, he effectively closed the door on Woods’s challenge by holing a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-three 17th.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia and South Africa’s Tim Clark both carded 70s to tie for third at five over, level with Australia’s Mark Hensby who registered a 74.
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.
Leading final round scores:
280 — Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 71, 69, 71, 69.
282 — Tiger Woods 70, 71, 72, 69.
285 — Sergio Garcia (Spain) 71, 69, 75, 70; Tim Clark (South Africa) 76, 69, 70, 70; Mark Hensby (Australia) 71, 68, 72, 74.
286 — Rocco Mediate 67, 74, 74, 71; Davis Love III 77, 70, 70, 69; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 70, 70, 74, 72.
287 — Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 72, 71, 72, 72; Arron Oberholser 76, 67, 71, 73.
288 — Bob Estes 70, 73, 75, 70; Corey Pavin 73, 72, 70, 73; Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 77, 66, 70, 75; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 68, 70, 69, 81.
BACKSTROM TRIUMPHS
SAINT-OMER: Swede Joakim Backstrom claimed the Saint-Omer Open title and a one-year European Tour exemption when he beat Britain’s Paul Dwyer in a sudden-death playoff on Sunday.
The pair had finished a stroke ahead of the field on four-under-par 280 and Backstrom then took the title with a par at the first extra hole after Dwyer missed a two-foot putt to bogey.
Leading final round scores:
280 — Joakim Baeckstroem (Sweden) 72, 70, 68, 70; Paul Dwyer 73, 68, 71, 68 (Baeckstroem wins on sudden-death playoff).
281 — James Heath 70, 66, 73, 72; Steven Jeppesen (Sweden) 73, 70, 70, 68; Michael Jonzon (Sweden) 69, 73, 71, 68.
282 — Ross Fisher 70, 70, 68, 74; James Hepworth 69, 71, 69, 73; Ben Mason 71, 74, 70, 67; Alvaro Salto (Spain) 74, 69, 69, 70; Carl Suneson (Spain) 74, 69, 65, 74.—Reuters
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