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Campbell followed his major victory with a tie for fifth at
the British Open and a tie for sixth at the PGA Championship in
the same year.
Campbell won 15 tournaments over his career, most of which was
spent on the European Tour, but his last title came when he won
the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth a few months
after his Pinehurst triumph.
"All of my friends who are the same age as me are still out
there competing and doing well," he told New Zealand's Radio
Sport on Saturday.
"It makes you wonder maybe I should go back and play but right
now I have got no motivation to play. I have played golf for
almost 40 years and that is a long time. I have played
professionally for 20 years and that is a long time.
"I have no complaints to walk away from the game that has given
me such a wonderful life but it's been a very hard decision."
Campbell said his recent divorce and struggles with injury had
helped him decide to put competitive golf on hold and
concentrate on his academies in Spain until he is 50 and
qualifies to play senior tournaments.
"It gave me time to reflect on my career and I decided to put
golf on the backburner right now and just focus on other
things," Campbell added.
His major triumph a decade ago was only the second for a New
Zealander after Bob Charles won the British Open at Lytham & St
Annes in 1963.
"Obviously 10 years ago was something special for me and for the
country and for golf itself," Campbell added. "I fulfilled one
of my dreams to win a major and it was fantastic.
"But as everyone knows, it has been well documented, my career
since then hasn't been great. But if I walk away from the game
right now, I could be very proud of my achievements."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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