As the leaves turn and the year winds down, New Zealand’s own Ben Campbell is gearing up to defend his title at the Hong Kong Open, a crown he snatched last November with a bit of magic from his putter.
This year, he’s not just defending a title; he’s chasing the grand prize of The International Series Rankings.
Sitting comfortably at fourth in the rankings after a triumphant trot at the International Series Morocco and clinching top-10 spots thrice—including a T4 at the Black Mountain Championship and a T6 at the BNI Indonesian Masters—Campbell’s putter has been his loyal companion through thick and thin.
Despite the acclaim, it wasn’t long ago, back in the sultry summer of ’23, that Campbell considered hanging up his clubs for good, sidelined by an injury that nearly cost him his career.
Post-Jakarta, Campbell took a well-deserved two-week hiatus, a sabbatical to refocus and refine his short-game magic.
Now, as he stands on the precipice of three back-to-back tournaments that will close out the season, he’s primed to show that last year’s 15-foot clincher on the 18th at Hong Kong Golf Club wasn’t just a fluke.
The sensation of overcoming titans like Cameron Smith and Phachara Khongwatmai still fuels his fire.
Reflecting on his journey since last year’s victory, Campbell shared, “It seems like this year has gone so fast.
It doesn’t feel like it’s been a year since I won in Hong Kong and it’s great to be back. I played a few holes out there, and I’ve always really enjoyed this golf course.
I’m just looking forward to getting out there, there is a bit of fine-tuning that’s needed and then I’ll be ready to go on Thursday.”
The past year has been a whirlwind of activity for Campbell, who confessed, “It has been a busy year since the win last year, it’s been flat out but it was a great win.
I felt like I can win out here and it’s just given me a lot of confidence. I think the last year before Hong Kong, I went close a lot of times and didn’t quite get over the line and I learned a lot from that and it has been great going on and winning Morocco this year.”
“My game felt really close in the last stint. I finished fourth (Black Mountain Championship), and then didn’t have the greatest week, and then finished sixth (BNI Indonesian Masters), but never really felt like I had the putter going at all.
So I did a bit of work when I was at home and I am looking forward to the last three events,” he added.
Currently trailing behind the series leader, American John Catlin, who sits atop the leaderboard with 900.58 points, and fellow competitors Richard T. Lee and Peter Uihlein, Campbell remains undeterred.
With Catlin potentially a single win away from clinching the ranking title and a spot in the LIV Golf League, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
This season, having served as an alternate in the prestigious LIV Golf League and rubbing shoulders with the crème de la crème of golf, Campbell’s gleaned more than just tips and tricks.
“I think if John (Catlin) had another win, then he’s probably sealed it, so every week is pretty important, there is now a lot to play for,” Campbell stated, optimistic about his prospects.
“I really enjoyed my time out on LIV Golf this year, I learned a lot. It’s great when you’re spending weeks with the best players in the world and I definitely took some confidence away from that.
You know there was times when I played when I didn’t feel like I played my best but still put a good score on the board so yeah, I think it’s made me feel a lot more comfortable, especially out here and that’s exciting,” he reflected on his season.
As Campbell tees up for what promises to be a riveting end to the season, his story serves as a testament to the resilience and tenacity required to compete at the highest echelons of golf. Keep an eye on this Kiwi as he swings for the stars in The International Series.
For the latest updates on The International Series and to track Ben Campbell’s progress, swing by www.internationalseries.com.
