January 16, 2010 (Updated 1/16) –Winning a PGA Tour golf tournament is arguably one of the toughest things to do in sports. What makes this feat impossible is to forget to register for an event. Such was the case in 2009 for Las Vegas golfer Chad Campbell, who didn't realize he forgot to commit for the Sony Open until his plane's wheels touched down in Hawaii a few days before play was to start. The good news is that he committed for 2010, and through two rounds was one shot off the lead. Campbell forgot his 'A game' in the third round and struggled to a 73. LIVE RESULTS.
Campbell, a former All-American at perennial college golf power UNLV in Las Vegas, actually had an inkling during the long flight over to Hawaii that he might not have been registered for the 2009 tournament. His thoughts were confirmed when he got the call just moments after landing in Hawaii. Campbell ended up playing golf at another course in Hawaii the day after he got there before boarding a red eye and heading back to his home in Dallas. "It's one of my top five favorite tournaments we play all year," Campbell was quoted as saying at the time. "It's one of my favorite golf courses. That's what (stinks) more than anything. This one just slipped through the cracks. It takes a lot to go wrong for it to happen. I'm more mad at myself than anything."
Campbell was college teammates with fellow PGA Tour player Chris Riley while at UNLV, and the Rebels had access to play and practice at some of the best Las Vegas golf courses including Shadow Creek, Las Vegas Country Club, and many others. These days, private Las Vegas golf course Southern Highlands serves as the home course for the UNLV golf team. The Las Vegas golf region is the home to more than 50 golf courses, many designed by the biggest names in golf. The featured Las Vegas golf course for this article is Bear's Best Las Vegas, 18 holes of Las Vegas golf that were hand-picked by Jack Nicklaus and his design team from golf courses they have designed across the world. Click now to the official Bear's Best Las Vegas website for more Las Vegas golf information, or to reserve your Bear's Best Las Vegas golf tee times or Las Vegas golf packages. The official websites of Las Vegas golf courses is where you will find the best rates and service.
Campbell shot the second-best round of the day during the second round of the Sony Open that was being played at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. Campbell's round of 64, after an opening 68, featured six birdies on the par 70 golf course. "Obviously, I was very disappointed, especially I was just saying how much I love coming here and playing the tournament, playing the golf course," said Campbell following his second round, when asked by the media how last year's circumstance affected him this year. "It was really disappointing last year, you know what happened. That's one thing I probably won't do it again, I had plenty of reminders this off season. I always ask them where they were last year."
Campbell is coming off a pretty good year in 2009, but a season that could have been sensational. Campbell lost two playoffs in 2009, in arguably his two favorite events. Campbell was edged by Angel Cabrera at The Masters and then lost to Martin Laird in Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Campbell finished the season with more than $1.7 million in earnings and 59th on the FedEx Cup standings. He is also committed–officially!–to next week's Bob Hope Classic, where he is a former champion.