Brighton-based Kiwi Michael Campbell, whose golf was so bad two years ago he thought aliens had invaded his body, now has a £1million cheque to go with his first major title.

The 36-year-old New Zealander, who in June held off Tiger Woods to capture the US Open, was handed the sport's biggest first prize after beating Ireland's Paul McGinley in the final of the HSBC World Match Play championship at Wentworth yesterday.

An event lacking the world's top four players ended with Campbell a 2&1 winner.

Campbell's career has been one of incredible highs and lows.

Eight years ago he had a run of 14 tournaments in which he missed the halfway cut 12 times.

"I was shooting 80s all the time, close to 90s - I just could not play the game," he said.

"I remember throwing my golf bag across the hotel room. I thought 'this is it, it's all over'.

"I was about to get an axe and chop them up in two pieces and throw them away."

Even when he recovered from that nightmare time his troubles were not all behind him.

He tried the US Tour two years ago but missed nine cuts out of nine and after an 89 in the Players Championship he said: "It's like an alien has taken over my body."

Campbell could hardly believe playing the last 11 holes in two over par was good enough and admitted: "Fortunately enough I managed to stumble over the finishing line."

McGinley, who won £400,000, was all square with four holes to play and bogeyed the next two.

The 38-year-old needed something special after that but Campbell was the one to produce it.

Both were short of the green in two at the 571-yard penultimate hole and Campbell chipped dead to clinch the title.