US Open Champion Michael Campbell shot a flawless seven under par 65 in the Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship of Europe to share the first round lead with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.
They lead a chasing trio of Allesandro Tadini of Italy, Australian Wade Ormsby and Welshman Bradley Dredge, all of whom posted 66s, while home favourite Marcel Siem lies in the group one stroke further back.
Campbell's driving accuracy and concentration again reaped dividends as the 36 year old New Zealander continued his rich vein of form to rack up seven birdies in much the same way as he overcame Tiger Woods at Pinehurst No.2 to win his first Major.
"I had the mindset today and the hole seemed as big as a bucket," said Campbell. "I'm focusing pretty much on every shot now. In the past I've tended to fall asleep for two or three holes."
He said his driving has improved dramatically, which was another reason the change in his fortunes and one which carried him to victory at the US Open.
"I changed my driver three months ago and the difference in the stats is like night and day. I'm at least 12 yards longer and my accuracy has improved 40 percent.
"If you drive the ball so well, that's half the course gone.
"I'm hitting ten or 12 fairways a round. That was the key at Pinehurst.”
However, Campbell is not getting too carried away with his form, which includes a fifth place behind Woods in last week's Open Championship.
"The game feels easy right now but I still respect it," added Campbell. "You think you've got it by the scruff of the neck but it bites you back very quickly."
Sweden's Stenson got straight into action by holing out with his second shot of the morning for an eagle-two at the tenth, his first hole.
He holed out with a wedge from 110 yards and almost repeated the feat at his second hole to begin his first round eagle-birdie on the way to a seven under par 65.
His feats came a day after losing the whole of the first round to heavy rain.
"I could have started two-two because I had an eight iron pitching behind the hole and it started to come back but stopped two feet from the hole," said Stenson.
As an early starter, he was surprised the course had held up so well after a day's deluge.
"I made some good putts and the surface of the greens is good.
"I haven't taken one drop for casual water all day, quite amazing after the amount of rain we had."
Korean K J Choi, winner of the 2003 Linde German Masters, pocketed a Rolex watch as the first player to eagle the long 17th to help him to a 67 and a share of third place with Germany's Siem and Joakim Backstrom, recent winner of the Aa St Omer Open.
Harrington, the last winner at Gut Kaden in 2003 and runner-up last year at Heidelberg, returned to action with a twounder round of 70, one stroke better than the defending champion Trevor Immelman.
