Whatever happened to Michael Campbell?

Whatever happened to Michael Campbell?

What do Trevor Immelman, Shaun Micheel, Michael Campbell and Todd Hamilton have in common?  These are all names that will be familiar to the golfing world, perhaps not quite the same way that Nicklaus, Woods and McIlroy have become but the answer is that these golfers are what some might affectionately call one hit wonders, they won a major.  Immelman the surprise winner of a Green Jacket in 2008, Shaun Micheel the unlikely producer of what was termed the best shot ever to win a Major with a 7 iron from the rough to 3 feet at the 2003 PGA championship, Michael Campbell the winner at the US open in 2005 and who can forget Todd Hamilton’s playoff victory over current champ Ernie Els in 2004 for the British Open.  Actually it would be quite easy to forget that and all the other victories mentioned because the real similarity between them is that since their Major victories they have faded into obscurity, and they’re not the only ones – Paul Lawrie also springs to mind although he has enjoyed recent success over the last two seasons but the real question is what have they been doing since and why does this happen to some golfers and not to others? 

                Michael Campbell has enjoyed very recent success, 3 successive top 15 results on the European tour in the last month, leading going into Sunday in Hong Kong before fading to an unsurprising +2 final round and a tie for 8^th.  However this recent form has seen a significant rise in his world rankings; having slumped to 910^th in the world in June he currently stands at 288^th after recording his first top 5 finish in 5 years and still chasing his first victory since the World Matchplay in ’05, the same year as his Major success.   Shaun Micheel has all but exhausted his options, having achieved little success in the 9 years since his PGA success and relying on the 10 year exemption the European Tour offers for Major winners.  Micheel posted just one top 25 finish in 27 events in the 2011 PGA tour season and has slumped to 803^rd in the world.  Immelman was perhaps the most well known golfer before his surprise major success and it is therefore fitting he is still around.  Despite not winning since Augusta in 2008 he has continued to keep his card on the PGA tour winning over $1,000,000 in 2011 and just squeezing in at 114 in the FedEx cup this year, he has retained a respectable ranking just inside the top 200, currently residing at 183rd.  By contrast Todd Hamilton was perhaps the least known before his major victory having spent the vast majority of his career on the Japanese Tour, where he won 11 times and amassed a career earnings total of 630,000,000 yen.  He has had a reasonable few seasons but posting only one top 10 this season he has failed to retain his card on the PGA tour finishing this season in 189^th on the FedEx points list.  Hamilton currently resides at 660^th in the world rankings.  The story of how their careers have panned out since winning one of golf’s big ones is interesting and highlights the point that some players simply fall off the golfing planet after doing so but...why?

                While it is undoubtedly different for each individual there are some potential reasons that I see.  Media coverage rockets when you land a major and while some like Tiger and McIlroy have been used to that throughout their amateur and professional careers, it is probably very daunting being in the public eye so much more than you are used to.  While winning a Major opens a lot of doors in the long run, social and media commitments almost certainly take up a lot of time as well.   My alternative reason has most recently been in other sports.  Jason Kenny recently won an Olympic gold in London and has since told the media that having won the pinnacle of achievement he has found it difficult to motivate himself to begin training again.  This could be the case for some golfers; having won a Major, the biggest prize in golf, some may find it difficult to train and practice with the same intensity although I do wonder why then would they keep playing golf at all?

Whatever the reason it is a good assumption that there will continue to be one hit wonders, some will strive to win more, some will, some may fall of the planet and maybe a few, like Paul Lawrie, will simply take 12 years to re-find some form.  I look forward to watching them.

FF