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VOLVO MASTERS

October 26, 2005

Michael Campbell

SOTOGRANDE, SPAIN

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, Michael, welcome to Valderrama. The last time we saw you on European soil, you walked away with a million pounds in your back pocket so I'll put you on the spot. What means most, winning the Order of Merit or a million quid? That's just for starters.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Thanks, mate. I wasn't prepared for that question. I think winning the Order of Merit is definitely more important to me. It's been a dream of mine for the last since I joined the Tour back in '95, ten years ago. So it would be nice to put the icing on the cake by winning the Order of Merit this week. Monty is obviously in good form and playing great, and it will be tough to beat him. But he is beatable, and I believe if I just go out there and play to my best ability, I have a chance to fulfill my dream.

GORDON SIMPSON: Do you feel refreshed now that you've had a break?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Oh, yeah, the two weeks in Australia was perfect for me, perfect ingredient for me to play well this week. The week at the American Express, I was very tired after a long week of the World Match Play and another long week of Presidents Cup. Then two weeks later, or a week later, was the American Express and my form that week reflected that.

So I went away to Australia for two weeks and just recharged the batteries, and I'm looking forward and I've stoked the fire in my belly right now and I'm ready to go out and play.

Q. Can you talk about when the Order of Merit first sort of registered with you and how important it was, who was winning it; obviously Monty was, but what did you think about it in those days?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: I didn't, actually. (Laughter).

Q. So when did you become

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: When I came on Monday. See, I'm the type of golfer that goes out there and plays golf during the week, and then a week off is a week off, trust me. I don't even think about all of the different possibilities. And if I were to finish this week and to beat Monty by a certain amount, I don't even think about it until Monday. I'm good at separating my different hats, and the week, or two weeks in Australia, I was being a father and a husband rather than a golfer, so I didn't even think about it at all.

GORDON SIMPSON: I think the question was, what year did you feel you were good enogh to win the Order of Merit?

Q. No, but that was a good answer to another question. (Laughter). I'd like the answer to the proper question, though.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: What was the question?

GORDON SIMPSON: When did you think you might be good enough to win an Order of Merit?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Oh, sorry. My first year, in '95, finished fifth. Ever since my first year as a pro here on The European Tour in '95, I realized I've got the ability to win the Order of Merit. I think Monty won.

GORDON SIMPSON: He did, yeah.

Q. Good guess.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Yeah.

Q. Did you come with a chance that week; do you remember?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: No, I was too far back. Monty and Sam Torrance were going, that was good fun.

I think it's the first time for a while that the Order of Merit crown has been raced for because in the past, Ernie and Retief haven't played this tournament. It kind of helps my chances where you get guys like Goosey and Ernie not playing; Ernie not playing the last five months, and Goosey not playing because of injury, it makes my job a little bit easier, having those two guys out.

But I've got to focus tomorrow. I'll shake Monty's hand on the first tee and I'll shake his hand on the 18th green, and between those handshakes, we're competitors, we're competing. Try to beat each other as much as possible. But we walk off the golf course as friends, and that's one beautiful thing about this game, really, is that we can separate the two between business and friendship.

I'm looking forward to the next four days. There's a certain buzz about it. I can feel it from the players and caddies. It's exciting for them to see who is going to be the No. 1 in Europe. So I'm just very excited about the next few days.

Q. Is this the course you would choose?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Absolutely. It's a tough course. If the wind blows like today, the greens are obviously very fast and undulating, and you've got to place your ball on the right place on the greens there. So it's all about being precise with the irons and approach shots to the greens. It's a tough course. You've got to shape your ball a lot with lots of sharp doglegs off the tee there, and so it's a golf course where great players have won around here. So it's going to be pretty cool.

Q. When you were first on the Tour and you saw Monty win seven Order of Merits, were you aware of what an achievement it was, and also for him to come back after a gap and be in the same position again?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Yeah, I think it's wonderful, what he's done. He's obviously gone through a bit of a hard time mentally with things personal, and for him to come through that and perform so well this year is all credit to Monty.

He's always been a great player over the years, even when he hasn't won the Order of Merit, he's always featured. He's always won tournaments around the world. Unfortunately he's been he's missed a few times with the major championships, but I'm sure one day he will crack one. When he does, I think he'll be very fulfilled. I'm sure that he would swap all of his seven Order of Merits wins with one major. Maybe I'm wrong, but

Q. He says he wouldn't.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: He wouldn't? That surprises me. We as golfers, or most golfers, I believe, we play this game to win major tournaments. Seven Order of Merits is fantastic, it's all credit to what he's done, but if I was in Monty's shoes, I'll definitely spot my seven Order of Merits for one major, definitely. That's just me. That's my opinion and obviously he's got his, but, yeah, I'll definitely swap seven Order of Merits for one.

Q. Would you be kind enough to tell us what you think the strengths of your game are, and then would you tell us what you think the strengths of his game are?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: I think we're very, very similar players to be honest. We're not extra long off the tee. We're pretty straight, but good putters, good short games. We're very similar. I think that at the end of the year we have after 40 odd weeks of playing, only 100,000 pounds separate us, so it goes to show you how similar we are. We both had a great year, maybe mine was a little bit better than his with two wins, but we're very similar players I think and that's why we're so close together.

Q. And both good up here? (Pointing to head)

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: I can't speak for Monty, but I think he is. It all depends which Michael Campbell comes to the first tee tomorrow. That's the thing with me, I call Nick Hastings; you bring the Michael Campbell of the U.S. Open to the first tee, I'll have a very good chance. So is it's a matter of finding that Michael Campbell that I brought to the Pinehurst.

Q. Is he near?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Absolutely. As I said, I was tired a couple of weeks ago, and two weeks back in Australia was perfect, perfect ingredient to this whole recipe.

Q. A year ago you shot 80 something here.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Thanks for reminding me. (Laughter).

Q. Well, not only here, but three or our other tournaments, as well. I'm just asking to you compare yourself then with the golfer you are now.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Well, there is no comparison. I was digging myself into a hole, just reading through a stat of mine, and I thought, how I can make things happen so quickly. I turned my whole year around six months ago, just through various, lots of things in my life. It's just a statement I said to myself back in May. I said: "Michael, this is enough, enough of this bullshit. You have won around the world. I mean, why are you doing this to yourself?"

So I woke up one day and said to myself, "You're good enough to win." And I've been saying it for the last probably six months now. I have some sort of affirmation, that sort of type of theme of being positive every day I wake up, and that's part of the reason why I'm playing so well. There are other various parts, too, but that's one thing. I actually decided to play well, to play good golf then. That's the thing I've really noticed in the last six months.

Q. How much would it be a spectacle or would you enjoy if you and Monty go to the top of the leaderboard and play head to head against each other for four days?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: That would be great. That would be great for everyone, for the Tour, for us, for the viewers, spectators, sponsors. Volvo would be very, very happy. I think it would be a great scenario to see that, myself and Monty up there, head to head.

I don't know between first and second, but that's big enough for us, if I come in first and he comes in second, I'm just going to go out there and play golf. I'm not going to look at any figures or any possible scenarios where I finish or who I have to finish before Monty or after Monty or whatever, I don't know. I don't really care. I'll just go out there and play golf.

Q. While you would take a major over winning the Order of Merit, would winning the Order of Merit perhaps prove something more to others about you, rather than it just being one week where you performed a miracle?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Sorry, what was the question again?

Q. Would winning the Order of Merit actually mean more to other people and the way they look at your career?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Absolutely, yeah.

Q. After winning a major?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: It's definitely one of those things all players strive for. We all strive for major championships and we all strive for the Order of Merit or Money List in America. Definitely it would cap off a great year for me. It's something I've always wanted to do. I've got little goals in my Fili o Fax I look at once a week, and there's definitely a little it's written down there saying, I want to win the Order of Merit. So it has not been ticked off yet, and I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead of me.

Q. What else is on there?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: You'll find out. (Laughter).

Q. Are they all golfing goals?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: No, no. Personal goals.

Q. Prime minister of New Zealand?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: No chance, mate. That's too hard, politics. Rugby, yeah.

Q. World Cup for the All Blacks?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Yeah. No, there's golfing goals and a lot of personal goals.

Q. Is there one personal goal you could give us that you wouldn't mind sharing?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: You're prodding, aren't you? (Laughing) I can tell you this, something that probably won't make sense for you to maintain my fitness, flexibility. That's boring stuff. There's other things, too, but I'm not going to tell you.

Q. One shot at a time; there must be something?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: There is something, but I would rather not say.

Q. Is there a mountain you want to climb? Do you have something like a mountain you want to climb or a voyage you want to do?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Oh, yeah, I want to go there you go. I want to see all the seven wonders of the world.

Q. How many have you seen so far?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: None at the moment. (Laughter).

Q. Do you know what they are?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Pyramids. What else is there?

GORDON SIMPSON: Taj Mahal.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: What about the Great Barrier Reef? Is that one? Anyway.

Q. Colossus of Rhodes. Any golfing wonders?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Obviously there's two. Hopefully it will be three this week.

Q. What do you think this would do for New Zealand golf?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: I think he hasn't done it, I'll be the first New Zealander to win the Order of Merit, so I'm trying to set a certain standard here for my fellow countrymen to follow me hopefully. We all strive to I did, anyways, as a kid growing up to strive, to follow Sir Bob Charles' footsteps, and hopefully this will encourage kids back home to follow my footsteps. I'm not finished yet. I've got another good seven years in me, eight years or whatever in me, and so there's plenty of time for more records I think.

Q. When you finish with Colin this week, you have Tiger Woods in four straight events.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Yeah, I know. Seeing him once a month is enough for me. Yeah, four weeks, it's going to be I love competing against the best players in the world, so to have him there four weeks in a row for me is a great good practice.

Q. You beat him in the U.S. Open.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Yeah.

Q. Is there a commercial dimension now to you winning the Order of Merit with your own brand of clothing, etc., is that something that you think about in terms of boosting that, giving you a marketing boost?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Well, I think if I try and concentrate on designing courses or designing my own clothing line, that dilutes my focus on playing golf. So right now I'm just head down and focus on those things. Those peripheral things will take care of themselves. So I'm not really worried commercially well, I do have my clothing line, but I have great people behind it, so hopefully they can look after all those sort of affairs.

Q. Do you have any regrets of not entering the dunhill this year, perhaps if you had played in the dunhill, you might even be

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: I had no way, because I had to fly no.

Q. Couldn't be done?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Couldn't be done. Flying back I needed a week off after a big week off at the World Match Play, Presidents Cup, and then fly from there to sunny Edinburgh and then fly back to San Fran, no chance. It was dumb. If I played there, it would have been a waste of my time.

Q. Is the balance in your life of schedules one of the personal goals you're trying to sort out?

MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Actually, yes, I'm trying to balance my life out more. It's been busy obviously with commitments with you guys. It's all part of the package and I've really enjoyed what I've done.

I'm trying to say no to people. I think I'm too nice, I think don't you think? Oh, good, thank you. So I'm trying to say no to people, and it's very hard for me to say no, but I need to say no to stop the craziness. A lot of requests around the world and stuff like that, so I'm trying to slow down a little bit and stop and smell the roses.

GORDON SIMPSON: And see the seven wonders of the world. Thanks very much.

End of FastScripts.

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