In-form Campbell eyes Vegas jackpot to end 2007 campaign

LAS VEGAS, Oct 10 (Reuters) Fresh from victory at the Viking Classic two weeks ago, American Chad Campbell likes his chances at this week's 4 million dollars Las Vegas Open.

The 33-year-old Texan is playing his final PGA Tour event of the season and would dearly love to sign off by hitting the jackpot in the world's gambling capital.

''I feel like I'm playing well and I have a good shot at winning,'' Campbell told reporters at the TPC Summerlin yesterday.

''I'm looking forward to the week and see what happens.

''You never want to come into a tournament not playing very well, so it's nice to have a win a couple weeks ago. Plus I really feel like I played pretty good last week.'' Campbell clinched his fourth PGA Tour title by a shot in the Viking Classic at Madison, Mississippi before tying for 15th at last week's Texas Open.

''I didn't play the best in the final round but kind of kept it going from Jackson,'' he said, referring to his closing 70 on Sunday.

''This is going to be my last tournament for the year so I definitely want to end on a good note.'' Long regarded by his peers as one of the most talented players on the PGA Tour, Campbell has struggled for consistency this season.

Before winning his first title of the year in Jackson, he had produced only one top-10 finish in 25 starts.

TURNING AROUND ''It's been a little bit of a struggle,'' he said. ''I've been working hard on my game and really felt like things were turning around. I just wasn't seeing the results in the tournaments.

''It was nice in Jackson to put four rounds together and see a little payoff for all that hard work.'' A former student at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Campbell is delighted to be back in familiar surrounds where low scoring is the norm.

''It's just great coming back,'' he said. ''I loved going to school out here and I love the city.

''I always have a good time out here and you know you've got to make a lot of birdies as soon as you tee it up on Thursday. One of the keys to playing well here is to take advantage of the par fives.

''Usually the weather is perfect, the courses are in great shape and the greens are rolling nice. So that kind of yields the low numbers.'' The Las Vegas Open, the fourth event out of seven in the PGA Tour's inaugural Fall Finish, starts today.

REUTERS BJR BD1006