ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell says that winning a major has given his confidence a huge boost. He is tied for second after two rounds at the Mercedes.

Campbell a changed man

KAPALUA, Maui » Winning the U.S. Open changes everything.

Just ask Michael Campbell, whose dramatic victory over Tiger Woods last summer landed him a spot in this week's Mercedes Championships.

Before that final-round 69 that left him two shots removed from Woods, Campbell wasn't known to the casual golf fan. He earned a modest amount of cash while on the PGA Tour from 1995 through 2004, but has never been a full-fledged member.

Even after pocketing nearly $1.6 million on tour last year and placing second on the European Tour, thanks in part to a semifinal win over Retief Goosen at the HSBC World Match Play Championship in England, Campbell is only scheduled to play in 12 tournaments this year on tour, leaving him without a card.

Part of that is his own doing. He enjoys playing golf worldwide and isn't willing to commit to the PGA Tour's minimum of 15 events. That's one reason he's enjoying himself in this week's winners-only tournament, where he finds himself tied for second, trailing two-time defending champion Stuart Appleby by one shot.

A year ago, he might not have had the confidence going into the weekend that he could keep pace with the game's best. But a lot has changed since then.

"How far is it from here to the moon?" Campbell said when asked how much more confidence he had from a year ago. "I mean, there's no comparison. I've told you guys all the stories about how I changed my whole attitude and my mind-set.

"I don't want to be a scratched record, but that (winning the U.S. Open) is what changed my whole way of thinking. When you get results, that builds up to more confidence, sort of like climbing a ladder. Right now, I feel like I'm halfway to the moon with my confidence."

Considering the windy conditions and slick greens that have left all 28 golfers counting higher than most days when adding up their scorecards, confidence is a necessary commodity. Campbell was one of only seven golfers to break par yesterday.

Back-to-back rounds of 72 left him in a tie with Vijay Singh, David Toms and Jim Furyk, who know their way around the Plantation Course as well as anyone. This is Campbell's first tour of duty here and he's loving every minute of it.

"I think the last couple of days has been tough," Campbell said. "The first tournament of the year for us, come out in these conditions, I mean, it's tough out there, today especially. The toughest things are the elevation and the strength of the wind.

"I think it's kind of neat to have to manufacture a shot every time, rather than your stock-standard swing. For me, it's a bit of fun."

It's also a good feeling to know you belong with the game's best. Anybody who stares down the eye of the Tiger in a major championship deserves to be here.

"Yeah, I feel like I belong in the same sphere as these great players," Campbell said. "I respect them as players, but I don't fear them anymore. Leading a major, nine holes to play, maybe two- or three-shot lead. It was my fault for me to lose.

"Those conditions were pretty tough mentally, more than physically, having the best player in the world shooting at you. I managed to beat him. That is just the ultimate for me as a golfer, as a person. That has made me transform into a world-class player, I think. That was a big turning point for me in my career."