By Garrett Johnston
Brian Campbell’s life changed drastically after his first PGA Tour win at the Mexico Open the end of February.
The ten-year career of this 32-year-old Newport Beach native has shown grit and determination, but also at times doubt such as during second stage of the 2023 Q-school Campbell almost quit completely.
“It was really low for me. I was dealing with an injury in my left thumb and not having status then, so I had to go back to first stage,” Campbell told me.
After getting through first stage it was in the second stage things started to go sideways. “I had a blow up hole and made a quad, I thought I was out of it’ I went out the next day and shot 8-under and got myself right back in it and I was like, ‘well, I guess we’re playing more golf.”
“This game’s crazy and I shoutout to the people who are grinding out there. Never give up. It’s always so close. A lot closer than you think it might be.”
Campbell has played mainly on the Korn Ferry Tour and had 28 starts on the PGA Tour before the Mexico Open triumph.
The victory, at the Vidanta World course in Vidanta Vallarta, came after a lucky break on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff against Aldrich Potgieter. Campbell’s drive received a fortunate bounce off a stand of bamboo lining the course that kicked the ball back into play and from there he was able to make a birdie for the win.
In addition to the $1.26 million first prize Campbell gets Tour membership for two more years, an invitation to his first Masters, and a place in the Tour’s elite signature events so that his schedule for the rest of the year is filled with playing opportunities.
“Anytime I am in contention and come out on top, it just gives me loads of confidence in what I’ve been doing. It gave me a lot of belief. There’s always going to be tough days out there but I think looking back on the good days is just really going to help me look forward and trust.”
The “bamboo bounce” and the video of Campbell going back to toast them went viral and he jokingly said, “I need to grow some bamboo in my backyard because I’ve got to pay homage to that for sure.”
Regular golfers may find a comparison between the average driving distances for Potgieter and Campbell instructive. The burly South African Potgieter is number one on the PGA Tour, whereas Campbell ranks 188th with a jaw-dropping difference of almost 46 yards. The obvious lesson being golf is a game of how many not how.
Campbell captured the moment in Mexico and knew life had changed especially when after the final round he had 590 text messages waiting for him plus a congratulatory voicemail from PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
Two weeks later during the Bay Hill Invitational Campbell received his coveted Masters invitation, and he gave the opportunity to open the envelope to his father Don.
“I know that was a special moment for him and for me as well and for just our family as a whole,” Campbell reflected. “We used to watch the Masters all the time growing up. I think it was a bit in the distance like ‘maybe we’ll be there one day, I hope we’ll be there one day’.”
That dream came together, and Campbell got to play in the Masters where he made the cut and finished tied for 32nd.
