Reuters - Michael Campbell pocketed a cheque for £1,000,000, the richest first prize in golf, after beating Irishman Paul McGinley 2 & 1 in the 36-hole final of the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth Club.
The New Zealander became the fourth man to capture the HSBC title and the US Open Championship in the same season, following in the footsteps of South African Gary Player (1965), American Hale Irwin (1974) and another South African Ernie Els (1994).
Victory carried Campbell above his semi-final conqueror, Retief Goosen of South African, at the top of The European Tour Order of Merit while consolation for runner-up McGinley in his first appearance at the HSBC World Match Play was a cheque for £400,000 pounds, but equally important, 401,223 Ryder Cup points to take him to the top of the listing.
Campbell admitted that changing several aspects of his life and his entourage had been responsible for the turnaround in fortunes in 2005.
"I've said many times before that I worked on different aspects of my life, not just golf. People think you just work on golf, golf, golf but there are other things that can make you tick as a person.
"There are other things in the world that make you feel better about yourself. There is a big universe out there and I worked on a lot of things outside golf. That's the bottom line."
There was never more than one hole between the two men in a close-fought morning round played on a calm, overcast day in leafy Surrey.
The 36 year old Kiwi, dressed appropriately in all black, was one up at halfway after registering a three under par 69 against McGinley's 70.
Fourth seed Campbell, who became the first Maori winner of a Major when he triumphed at the US Open at Pinehurst No.2, North Carolina in June, appeared to open up a decisive advantage when he won two of the first three holes in the afternoon round.
McGinley, 38, without a tournament victory since the 2001 Celtic Manor Wales Open, then made a hash of the third where he carded a double bogey six.
The genial Irishman, who famously holed the putt which won The Ryder Cup for Europe at The DeVere Belfry in 2002, took four shots to reach the green and two-putted from three feet.
However, World Number 36 McGinley, a gutsy, tenacious match play competitor, refused to go down without a fight.
He won the sixth and seventh with birdies before getting back to all square when Campbell bogeyed the ninth after taking four strokes to reach the putting surface.
A female streaker caused amusement among the crowd when she rushed on to the 11th green as Campbell lined up a putt to win the hole. His birdie effort eventually slid by the cup.
Campbell's attentions could not be diverted at the next, though, where he converted a five foot birdie putt.
The Kiwi's fluctuating fortunes continued at the 13th, where he fluffed an escape from a greenside bunker as McGinley once again got back to all square.
Even though he kept pegging back his opponent, McGinley simply could not get his nose in front and a bogey at the 15th helped Campbell regain the lead for good.
The Irishman went two down with two to play when a wayward drive into the trees cost him another bogey five at the 16th.
"I played so well the first few days but Michael played well today. I couldn't get at him," said McGinley.
"I caught him a few times but I couldn't get one up on him. My game just wasn't quite good enough."
