CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland - New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell was surprised to discover one of his playing partners at the European Masters championship pro-am curtain raiser here was Alinghi yachting syndicate owner Ernesto Bertarelli.Tournament organisers grouped the Italian-born Swiss businessman and yachtsman with Campbell and two other amateurs, Amedeo Serra and Eli Klein, for their round on the Crans-Montana course in Switzerland on Wednesday. Bertarelli, 41, played off a 13-handicap.
"Everyone in New Zealand knows who Bertarelli is and the story behind the America's Cup, so I got the shock of my life when I saw his name down in my group on the pro-am draw," Campbell said today.
"I wasn't really sure how I would react when I met him on the first tee and I had plenty of reservation as he had taken away the America's Cup from New Zealand and he took away Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth.
"But after meeting him he turned out to be a very nice fellow and I put all those thoughts I had of him behind me and we had a great time out there." - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Photo / Mark Mitchell
