Michael Campbell of New Zealand captured his second successive victory on the European Tour when he followed his win in the Johnnie Walker Classic last November with an emphatic record-breaking success in the Heineken Classic at The Vines Resort, Perth, Western Australia.
The 30 year old birdied four of the last five holes to close with a six under par 66 for a record low winning total of 268, 20 under par - six strokes ahead of Dane Thomas Björn, who shot a final round of 70, with Scots' rookie Alastair Forsyth producing a magnificent effort on only his second European Tour start, collecting outright third place on 275, 13 under par, after a last round 67.
Campbell, who had added the New Zealand Open to his list of achievements just eight days earlier, scored four sub-70 rounds of 68, 69, 65 and 66 to consolidate his position as No.1 on the Volvo Order of Merit for 2000.
He said: "Under the gun, under the pressure of leading by one shot with five holes to play, I just found an extra gear. A sign of a good player is when he can produce a certain shot at a certain time. And I produced the shots that needed to be done. Now I can concentrate on trying to win the Volvo Order of Merit, which was my goal after winning the Johnnie Walker Classic.”
The talented Kiwi, who finished third in the 1995 Open Championship but struggled for two seasons with a long-term wrist injury, started the final round two strokes ahead of Björn and was three in front when a violent electrical storm forced a 95 minute suspension of play with the leaders within sight of the clubhouse.
On the resumption, the Dane bogeyed the 16th and 17th while Campbell – who holed a bunker shot for a birdie at the 15th – closed out his opponent with a superb iron shot to 12 feet for another birdie at the 16th. Both players birdied the last, allowing Campbell to maintain his six stroke advantage and ensuring that Björn added a runner-up finish to his victory at The Vines Resort.
Forsyth, winner of the Qualifying School at San Roque last November, displayed immense potential by following an opening 72 with rounds of 68, 68 and 67 for a 13 under par total of 275. He required a birdie at the last to overtake two-time major champion, Ernie Els, and calmly two-putted from 60 feet to do precisely that. A cheque for £45,661 lifted him into a strong position to retain his card for 2001.
“That’s certainly the best golf I’ve played at this level,” said an elated Forsyth. “It should help me get a better ranking when the Tour rankings are done again later this year.
Els, who got up and down at the last for a birdie to finish on 276, took fourth place with Stephen Leaney the leading Australian in fifth place on 279, nine under par.
