PGA CHAMPIONSHIP RELATED STORIES PGA Championship Home Page PGA Championship Preview Round 1: Karlsson & Singh top leaderboard Round 1: Ernie Els recovers to stay in contention Round 1: Westwood unhappy with course set up Round 1: Sergio Garcia happy despite poor driving Round 2: JB Holmes edges ahead at half way Round 2: Montgomerie slumps to worst round Round 2: Michael Campbell shows a return to form Round 2: Phil Mickelson warns leaders Round 3: Rain ruins play on Saturday Round 3: Romero ties course record with a 65 Round 3: Weir rates 2008 majors toughest yet Round 3: Oakland Hills leaves Azinger with puzzle Round 4: Harrington lifts his third major title Round 4: Garcia loses out to Harrington again Round 4: Curtis misses PGA but makes Ryder Cup Round 4: Mickelson fails to plug the Tiger gap Course Guide: Oakland Hills PGA Championship Scores PGA could be toughest test of the year Sergio Garcia still searching for first major US Ryder Cup qualifying ends this week Par 3's key at Oakland Hills Players eager for PGA Championship Europeans positive about Oakland Hills Steve Stricker has eye on Ryder Cup place Phil Mickelson trying to make year a good one Trevor Immelman trying to find consistency John Daly still a fan favourite Lee Westwood hoping for a breakthrough Memorable quotes about the PGA Championship 2008 PGA Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Seve Ballesteros released from intensive care LPGA cuts three tournaments from 2009 schedule Miguel Angel Jinenez seeks third Hong Kong title Annika Sorenstam set for LPGA farewell Interesting choice for Player of the Year award GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS The Pocket Golf Professional Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers Take 10 shots off your scores! Best Value Golf Insurance

Michael Campbell shows a return to form

Michael Campbell declared himself "back from the dead" after an impressive second round at the PGA Championship.

Campbell, who has been mired in a slump for the past three years, since shortly after winning the 2005 US Open, showed some life Friday with a one-over-par 71 that left him five strokes from the halfway lead at Oakland Hills.

"It's been a long struggle over the last three years or so but I can feel my game is swinging in the right direction," said the 38-year-old Kiwi, whose career has been a series of highs and lows.

"Seventy-one was probably the worst score I could have shot today. It's very encouraging for the next two rounds. I think one-or-two-over is going to win, so I'm two back from that."

Campbell, who finished a lowly 55th on last year's European Tour Order of Merit, is using a new driver this week, but he says it's his mental state, rather than a change of equipment, that is responsible for his improved form.

"After winning such a big tournament (the US Open), I got lost, with no direction at all," he said.

"I felt I'd fulfilled my dream by winning and major and so I felt I couldn't go any further, to be honest, but now I've seen my friends Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera and Padraig Harrington win majors, it's inspired me to come back and even hopefully do the same as Padraig and win another major.

"I was getting too bogged down with technical thoughts. I decided to free my mind and empty my cup of all swing thoughts and just went out and played golf. I'm not trying to put a perfect swing on a perfect shot.

"I'm using a new driver, new shaft, and I'm gaining another 20 yards, which is nice, but what's really helped is confidence. "Confidence is something you can't get overnight, and you can't buy it, can't get it from a psychologist. It's the kind of thing that snowballs."

Campbell admits he is still a work in progress, and isn't promising any fireworks over the weekend, but he sincerely believes he's on track to win by the end of the year.

"There's a long way to go, but from what I've been doing—shooting 75s and 80s for such a long time—that's completely gone now.

"I'm just looking forward to the next two days. I've got no expectations and nobody expects me to do anything but you never know.

"This game is full of surprises."