Michael Campbell seeking a return to form

Michael Campbell has hardly been sighted this year, but he says his game is moving in the right direction as he prepares for the U.S. Open starting Thursday at Oakmont Country Club.

Campbell, the 2005 champion, has not had a top-25 finish in 11 starts worldwide this year, slipping to 83rd in the world rankings, but it's not unusual for him to go missing for months at a time, before suddenly turning up on a leaderboard.

The New Zealander has made a career out of being consistently inconsistent, world class for a few weeks here and there, followed by a bunch of missed cuts.

After his brilliant 2005 season, which included a victory at the World Match Play Championship as well as his U.S. Open title at Pinehurst, Campbell found it difficult to get motivated for 2006.

"I found it hard to get up in the morning and play golf, because I achieved a lifetime goal in winning a major," he said. "I had six weeks off over Christmas and New Year and I found it hard to rekindle the fire, but now it's all back."

Campbell, 38, eventually decided he was getting too distracted by everything going on in his life off the course. It took a while, but better to wise up later than not at all.

"I learned a lot about myself, about the dynamics of being a major winner," he said. "I've had a lot of doors open for me, charity work, course design, my Michael Campbell Foundation. I found my mind was busy with business deals, course design, the list goes on. My mind was full of doing that instead of playing golf."

He also tried to change his swing, not the first time a surprise major winner has done that with unanticipated negative consequences.

"I got too involved with the swing, too analytical," Campbell said. "I'm more of a right-brain golfer. I play with feel and I'm a very simple guy, but I got too complicated with myself."

Campbell's recent form has not exactly been great, but a tie for 29th two weeks ago at the Wales Open on the European Tour, despite terrible putting, has given him a little confidence. Plus simply returning to the championship he won two years ago puts an extra spring in his step.

"Coming back to a major I've won before, I feel very comfortable with the pressure, the surroundings," he said. "It's really motivating to be a part of history of the U.S. Open. I feel confident after a solid week (in Wales). I'm back to where I should be."

"If he was a stock, he'd peak and then there'd be a big trough," coach Jonathan Yarwood said. "He's going to bottom out at some stage, which I think he's close to doing, and then he'll be back. You can guarantee he's going to bounce back at some stage."