October 1, 2007–Former UNLV All-American Chad Campbell, who finished each of the last four years on the top 30 of the PGA Tour money list, was struggling with his game but a recent surge has him back in the winner;s circle. He won the Viking Classic over the weekend for his 4th PGA Tour win, and says a new attitude is a big reason why. "I think I just kind of changed my attitude toward the game," he said to the media following the win. Read the official PGA Tour story here. Campbell will be in Las Vegas teeing it up October 11-14 at the FRYS.com Open Benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children. The event will be played at Las Vegas golf courses TPC Summerlin and TPC Canyons. Campbell was superb in hitting greens in regulation during the Viking Classic, something he has struggled with all year.
Notes from Campbell win:
Campbell came into the week ranked 160th on the 2007 PGA TOUR in Greens in Regulation. The Texas native finished the Viking Classic ranked first in Greens in Regulation on the week (58 of 72; 80.56 percent). Campbell also finished the week ranked sixth in Putting Average (1.672 putts per GIR).
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Campbell becomes the third straight winner on the PGA TOUR to lead the event in Greens in Regulation (Steve Flesch at the Turning Stone Resort Championship; Tiger Woods at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola).
To illustrate the importance of hitting the greens at Annandale Golf Club, simply look at the top players in Greens in Regulation on the week. Chad Campbell, Johnson Wagner, Shaun Micheel, Boo Weekley, Bill Haas, and Kent Jonesall finished in the top 10 on the leaderboard and in Greens in Regulation.
Campbell's four-round total of 275 ties D.J. Trahan (2006) for the highest winning score in Viking Classic history. Campbell becomes the first player in the last 10 years to win the Viking Classic after not playing in the final group on Sunday.
Campbell came from three shots back at the start of the final round to win the Viking Classic; however, this is not the largest final-round comeback on the PGA TOUR this year. Padraig Harrington erased a six-shot deficit on Sunday to win the British Open in July.