AUGUSTA, Ga. — The first time David Roesch of Germantown, Wis., played golf with Chad Campbell, he came away unimpressed.
In his first Hooters Tour event in the late 1990s, Roesch was paired with the quiet Texan, who had won the money title on the mini-tour the previous year and was considered an up-and-coming talent.
"Everybody is like, 'You're playing with Chad,' " Roesch said in a telephone interview Saturday. "I'm like, 'Yeah, OK.' I think we shot the same score that day. I'm young, I'm cocky, I'm naive. Somebody asked about him and I said, 'He's not that good.'
"That's how naive I was. I just didn't know what to look for."
Campbell has come a long way.
He held a one-stroke lead in the 70th Masters Tournament when the third round was suspended by darkness at 7:39 p.m. EDT Saturday.
Roesch, a member of the Nationwide Tour, said he would be watching today to see if Campbell can hold off the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and win his first major championship.
"I think Augusta is perfect for him," Roesch said. "He hits the ball really straight and he's a good putter. He's a little streaky, but who isn't? When he gets out in front, he doesn't falter. I would bet on him."