I can second Tom's remarks about Michael Campbell's personality and manner. I've met him and played 6 holes with him years back in NZ (at Warakei). He is genuine, sincerely nice and a very pleasurable guy to be around. I'm thrilled to see a Kiwi (and especially a person of Maori-descent) win this prestigious title.

Go Blacks!

Congratulations Michael.  A proud NZ Kiwi.

I recall watching him in 1995 at St Andrews, before that last round, and his domination at Paraparumu Beach in the 2000 NZ Open (he was #14 in the world that year in 2000 - his head-to-head with Tiger in the match-play in 2000 was eagerly looked forward to, but Tiger just killed him that day).  He has always had an ability to hit controlled iron shots in firm and fast conditions.

He has displayed an ability to play courses that are presented firm and fast, and where the ground game is an option.  His performance at Pinehurst should not have been a surprise, although it was.  I look forward to seeing him play at St Andrews in a few weeks.

Yes, what a pleasure - even for a South African!

 I have always loved watching that fluid swing. You also feel, a bit like Monty, that he is essentially an instinct player, and they are always more fun than the golf by numbers crowd.

I am kicking myself for not backing him - when I looked at the qualifying sheets at Walton Heath two weeks ago, he was first off at 7.30am and I nearly went to watch him. From then it was in the stars...

I was all for Michael Campbell yesterday. What I just hope we don't hear on this website is something like "Who is he, he doesn't deserve to win the US Open (for whatever reason)?" Campbell simply showed yesterday that he did everything better than ALL the other great players in the world---he played a spectacular round of golf from a fairly good postion teeing off and that's all that matters. Who he was before the tourney or before teeing off on Sunday is secondary, to say the least.

Sure, there were a number of phenomenal collapses---but that's the way the US Open can be. Michael Campbell went out there and won the tournament with great golf, mentally, physically and some luck. That's what it generally takes, no matter who it is.

Other than some ridiculously narrow fairways, I think the USGA did a very good job this time.

I was actually surprised more didn't see Michael as a threat (though I shouldn't be too surprised, as the announcers aren't the sharpest folks out there).

When I looked at the leaderboard, as a big Retief fan, I thought the two most dangerous players close were Michael and David Toms. I was half right.

Michael seems like a great guy to me. I am very happy to hear from others that this is true.

Well played, much deserved, congratulations.

one really good - about the hopeless alcoholism and family abuse among the Maoris - I don't remember the title, but the film was absolutely heart-wrenching.

It was probably "Once were Warriors" or it's sequel "What becomes of the broken hearted".  Both very powerful films, the first a classic.

Quote from: Voytek Wilczak on June 20, 2005, 07:30:13 PM

one really good - about the hopeless alcoholism and family abuse among the Maoris - I don't remember the title, but the film was absolutely heart-wrenching.

It was probably "Once were Warriors" or it's sequel "What becomes of the broken hearted".  Both very powerful films, the first a classic.

Yup.

I did not know there was a sequel - thanks for the info.

"Once were Warriors" is one powerful film - one of those you never forget.

quote author=Voytek Wilczak link=board=1;threadid=18588;start=0#msg329628 date=1119310213]
"Michael Campbell is certainly someone I find easy to root for.
His win must be a cause of great celebration to the Maoris, who, like Native Americans or the Aborigines, surely need such role models. I only speak on the basis of two movies I saw about the Maoris (one pretty bad - the Whale Rider or some such), but one really good - about the hopeless alcoholism and family abuse among the Maoris - I don't remember the title, but the film was absolutely heart-wrenching."

Voytek,

I am surprised that you thought "Whale Rider" was pretty bad. Although not Moby Dick, it had a quite charm and Keisha Castle- Hughes, the thirteen year old leading figure won an Oscar nomination for her performance.

I daresay that when dealing with oppressed minorities in film, it is now expected to wallow in the "kitchen sink" type of stuff we expect from an Osborne and ilk. Don't get me wrong, I have seen discrimination far worse than that experienced by Maoris in New Zealand. To this day one only has to go to Africa for that.... and I am not talking about white on black.