For immediate release, November 8: Former U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell says a recent heart operation is behind his sudden resurgence.
This comes after the New Zealander moved to the top of the leaderboard at the Champions UK plc European Senior Masters this week, in association with Equals Money.
Competing at the Grand Hyatt La Manga Club Golf & Spa in Spain, the 55-year-old spoke to Legends Tour reporters after his opening round and revealed that health issues had quietly disrupted his golf for several seasons.
“What made things so simple out there today? A new heart, literally,” Campbell said. “I had a heart operation two months ago which I had held off for two years. I had Atrial Fibrillation which means my heart was racing out of rhythm.
“So I was tired and couldn’t focus on the golf course for the last two or three years. But today I felt really in the present, very focused and I played great.
“This is life-changing for me, really. I only started playing again a few weeks ago, so it’s been a big turnaround for me and I feel great out there. It’s not 100% yet, I’ve got another three or four months before I’ll be back to full health, but now I’m running at about 75%, which is better than the 20% over the last two or three years so I’m very happy with that and very happy with how I played today.”
Campbell’s career highlight came with his victory at the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, holding off Tiger Woods to become only the second New Zealander to win a men’s major. He collected multiple European Tour titles across the 1990s and 2000s before stepping away from competitive golf for several years, later joining the senior ranks.
Now leading a Legends Tour event at nine under par, two ahead of former European Tour star Thomas Gögele, Campbell’s performance marks one of his strongest competitive showings since his return.
More information on the Champions UK plc European Senior Masters can be found at: https://europeanseniormasters.com/
