Campbell's consistency rewarded with JLPGA win

BY Bruce Young | Japan Ladies Tour | 2006 Suntory Ladies Open | Wrap | 11 Jun 2006

25-year-old Canberra golfer, Nikki Campbell, today won her first Japan LPGA Tour event when she held at bay the two leading money winners on the 2006 Japan Golf Money list, Shiho Ohyama and Ji-Hee Lee, to win the We Love Kobe Suntory Ladies Open.

In what developed into a tight battle early in the final round, Campbell was rock solid as she fought to overcome her more experienced opponents, who have collectively won fourteen titles on the Japan LPGA Tour.

Ohyama quickly built a three shot lead early in the round but, almost inexplicably, the 2006 Money List leader dropped four shots in five holes in the middle of the round and although she was not out if it, the momentum had turned. Campbell added further birdies at the 15th and 16th holes and eventually ran out the winner by three over Akiko Fukushima and Ji-Hi Lee whose double bogey at the 14th ended her challenge.

The 2002 Australian Women’s Amateur Champion, Campbell is into her fourth season in Japan and has been a consistent performer each year. In 2005 she was twice runner up in events, one of those to the Japanese superstar, Ai Miyazato, who is leading the McDonald’s LPGA Championship in the US as this is written.

The ultimate goal of the talented Campbell is to play on the USLPGA Tour but as she has indicated all the way along she has been determined to make sure she builds platforms beneath her before she moves to another level. This win will go a long way to doing that. She appears to be very much a golfer with a structured plan regarding her future. When she finally gets to the US she will be well and truly ready for the next step.

Campbell won ¥10.8 million (A$126,000) for her victory and she will now move just inside the top ten on this year’s money list. The highest Campbell has finished in previous seasons was 19th in 2005.

The Japan Ladies Golf Tour now heads to the Miho Golf Club in Ibaraki Prefecture for the Nichirei Ladies Tournament.

Photo – JLPGA