Hard work finally pays off for Michael Campbell

Seven years after considering quitting the game, New Zealander Michael Campbell realised a lifelong dream by winning his first major title at the 105th U.S. Open on Sunday.

The 36-year-old, who has ridden a rollercoaster ride of emotion and form since turning professional in 1993, held off a last-day challenge by Tiger Woods with a closing one-under-par 69.

A 20-foot birdie putt at the par-three 17th effectively closed the door on the world number one and Campbell sealed a two-shot victory despite missing a three-foot putt for par at the last.

"This is just unbelievable," he said, after raising his arms in triumph on the 18th green before dropping his head into his hands.

"Just having that putt to win a major championship, I dreamed about that as a kid.

"The self-belief and the patience over the last 10 years have really paid dividends but it's been quite a journey, my career.

"Back in '98 I was going to throw the game away and sell golf balls. I remember throwing my golf bag across a hotel room and thinking to myself: 'It's all over.'

"I was about to get an axe and chop up my clubs into pieces and throw them away."

Campbell still has vivid memories of his bitter struggle to perform on the golf course that year.

"I was shooting 80s all the time, close to the 90s," he said. "I just could not play the game. I could not focus on what I was doing and I could not swing the club.

"I missed my European Tour card and also the Australasian Tour card and I had no place to play that year."

However, the man from Hawera in New Zealand received a few invitations to play on both tours the following year and was able to regain his playing privileges.

"I worked very, very hard but my wife (Julie) was very supportive," he said. "She believed in me and got me going again.

"But emotionally it's been a bit of a rollercoaster."

In 1995, Campbell had his first taste of possible major glory when he led the British Open at St Andrews for the first three rounds before tying for third.

"It wasn't my time to win, but today was," he said.

Campbell, who earned $1.17 million for his victory as well as five-year exemptions for the other three majors, became the first New Zealander to win a major since left-hander Bob Charles clinched the 1963 British Open at Royal Lytham.

"To be in the same circle, the same sentence, as Bob Charles is an honour for me," said Campbell. "I'm very, very pleased.

"I know this win is going to break down all the barriers back home. It's going to be a great thing for the game of golf back home, especially for the Maori people.

"I think for the first time I actually made the front page of the newspapers back home with the All Blacks (New Zealand's national rugby team)."