Defending champ Campbell is happy to face long odds

Michael Campbell is considered a 100-to-1 shot to retain his U.S. Open title, but he doesn't take that as a sign of disrespect. Instead, he's more than pleased to fly under the radar as he tries to become the first repeat winner since Curtis Strange.

MAMARONECK, N.Y. (PA) -- Michael Campbell is considered a 100-to-1 shot to retain his U.S. Open title this week, and the New Zealander couldn't be more pleased.

Campbell was a similar outsider when he triumphed at Pinehurst 12 months ago, holding off the challenge of Tiger Woods down the closing stretch to claim his first major title.

And while Woods is still the favorite to triumph at Winged Foot despite a nine-week layoff after the death of his father, Campbell is happy to be all but written off as he attempts to become the first back-to-back winner since Curtis Strange in 1988-89.

"No, that's great," replied Campbell when told the odds. "Let Tiger, Vijay [Singh] and Phil [Mickelson] have all the attention and I can just do what I did last year. Fantastic, bring it on.

"Look at last year, no one gave me a chance to win and I won. Again, no one has given me a chance this year, apart from myself, which is the most important thing," he added. "I don't care what guys write or think, but I know I have a chance. I could have said it until I was blue in the face last year, but no one would listen to me, which is great.

"The whole year is repeating itself," he added. "Yeah, let them have all the attention, let them have all the hoopla with it. I'm just going to go out there and play golf.

"I've had the same sort of results from last year, five missed cuts in a row at the start of the year and then started playing better the last month or so. My form is pretty similar to last year and confidence-wise is similar as well," he said. "I feel very comfortable being a major winner and being defending champion is a label I'm very comfortable with. I'm a person who rides on a wave for a very long time."

Another player riding a wave is Mickelson, who has won the last two majors -- the 2005 PGA Championship and 2006 Masters -- and is therefore looking to move closer to a 'Mickelslam' this week in New York.

And Campbell admits he has taken great inspiration from the left-hander's performances since ending his search for a first major title at the 47th attempt.

"We all knew Phil could win a major, but he needed to believe he could win, not us," said Campbell. "Once he won, that was it. There's no stopping Phil now. He's a great player, had a great victory again at this year's Masters and he's obviously a favorite to win this week.

"It's amazing, once you get the bug, once you win your first major you want more," he added. "My plan is to be a multiple major winner."

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