US champion had another goal

As a youngster, US Open Champion Michael Campbell had cherished a dream: to be a member of the All Blacks rugby squad.

"That, however, never came to pass. I think I wasn't good enough, or strong enough, or maybe even big enough... I never made it to the All Blacks," Campbell told Gulf News.

But that disappointment did not stop the youngster from continuing to dream.

"Yes, I was disappointed I could not make it into the squad. But that did not hamper my focus and continuing to dream," the Kiwi said.

Playing in his favourite position as a hooker, the aspiring All Black had also considered his handicap of height and weight.

"My body structure was not so reassuring for rugby, so I took golf very seriously... that became the main sport for me," he reflected.

Campbell had also considered charting a career in basketball [his second son is called Jordan after Michael Jordan].

But that dream too did not materialise due to obvious reasons.

This was much of the memorable part of his tussle in making a choice between rugby, basketball and golf.

He chose golf, and the rest as they say, is history.

Though he enjoys watching rugby now, his next brush with his passion came recently as the All Blacks prepared to take on the British Lions in a three-Test series at home.

"The team [All Blacks] left me a congratulatory message after I had won the US Open. I found the manager's mobile number and called... but unfortunately I could not speak to him," Campbell recounted.

"So I did the next best thing and left a voice message on the manager's mobile phone," he smiled.

That voice message proved to be the perfect alibi for the All Blacks as they swept past the Lions.

"My message did not contain too many things. I just told the guys how much of an inspiration they all had been to me," Campbell said.

"I believe the manager played my message to the players before the first Test match."