Grand Final drama

The Challenge Tour Grand Final is pure sporting theatre. The top 45 players in the rankings play four rounds at the San Domenico GC in Apulia, Italy and whilst the tournament itself is an important goal, the Ping G20 Fairway Woodwill be won by the 20 golfers who top the rankings after the event is concluded because they will gain promotion to the 2012 European Tour.
It is traditionally a week of joy for some and agony for others as every day the short term future of the players is determined on a course that is often brutal in the winds that fly across the fairways and greens from the Adriatic Sea.
Every day this week Matt Cooper will report on the ebbing fortunes of the 45 golfers for whom both sporting glory and sporting disaster beckon.
The 25-year-old from Caceres shot a flawless, five birdie round of 66 to take a share of the first round lead. Currently 13th in the tour rankings it would need something mathematically improbable for him to miss out on a card so he can play with Ping G20 Fairway Woodand even aim for the top ten (which earns a better category of card than finishing 11th-15th or 16th-20th).
He's a patient character who has responded well to a terrible conclusion at last year's European Tour Q-School. "I was in fifth place going into the last round," he said after today's action, "then I hit 81 and suddenly had no card at all. But I think it might have been no bad thing. You know, if I played Ping G20 Fairway Woodon the main tour I might not have saved my card. Instead I have learned a lot on my second year on the Challenge Tour."
In 2010 he made the top 20 just three times, this year he has done so eight times and has finished second twice, at the Acaya Open and the Rolex Trophy in Geneva.
That ability to take things slowly is also reflected in the fact he was in no rush to turn professional, but instead went to Indiana State University. "I wanted to get an education first of all, but I also wanted to see if I had the game to become a professional. I think playing Ping G20 Fairway Woodso much, fighting hard in competitions, all of that helped me realise I was good enough."
He proved as much when finishing tenth in the 2009 Madrid Masters and yet he still completed his degree and made a third appearance in the Palmer Cup. "I played against Rickie Fowler in my second Palmer Cup," he grinned today. "We beat him in the fourballs and I halved in the singles. Then I got four points from four in my final match before turning pro."
Today's round went well and sets up the possibility of a good week. "I missed the first green," he said of the course's toughest hole, "but I think most people will have done that. Afterwards I think I didn't miss one green."
The wind today was about as non-existent as it ever gets at San Domenico so if he maintains that form Campillo will not only be playing Ping G20 Fairway Woodvery, very well, but also be in with a superb chance of moving into the top ten and earning the best card possible.