The Queenstown golfer came within a whisker of winning the $3.4 million Hong Kong Open for a second consecutive year on Sunday night.
Campbell eventually had to settle for second — and a decent cheque of about $445,000 — as former major winner Patrick Reed celebrated his first win in nearly four years.
Reed had set the tournament alight with a rare 59 in the third round, and he signed off for the tournament at 22-under, three shots clear of Campbell.
Japanese golfer Kazuki Higa was third at 18-under, and Sadom Kaewkanjana (Thailand) and Australian veteran Wade Ormsby, who won the tournament in 2017 and 2020, tied for fourth at 17-under.
Campbell had opened the tournament with a sharp 63 at the par-70 Hong Kong Golf Club that included eight birdies and one bogey.
He took the outright lead at the halfway stage of the tournament when he carded a flawless 65 that featured five birdies.
After managing to pick up just two more shots in his third round, carding a 68, Campbell went reasonably low in the final round — his 65 featured seven birdies and two dropped shots — but not low enough to haul in the sizzling Reed, whose cushion stretched to six at one stage.
"All in all, it was a good week," Campbell told the Otago Daily Times from Hong Kong.
"I’m disappointed to not get over the line as I felt like I hit the ball so solid all week.
"I never really got the putter hot enough over the weekend and really felt like I left a lot of shots out there."
It was Reed’s maiden win on the Asian Tour.
The American’s 59 — six birdies on the front nine, five on the back — was just the 28th sub-60 round in professional golf.
Campbell now prepares for two huge weeks that could send his professional career soaring.
He is back into second place on the Asian Tour’s International Series, the set of 10 elevated events that offers the overall winner a place on the lucrative LIV circuit.
Campbell knows the carrot as he prepares for a big finish to the year with two high-profile events that form part of the International Series.
"I’m only 80 points off first place now, so there’s a lot to play for over the last two tournaments."
He is now heading to Qatar for the International Series tournament at the Doha Golf Club this weekend.
That has a $4.3m purse, but the real attraction is in Riyadh a week later.
The PIF Saudi International has an $8.5m purse and could be the scene for something memorable if Campbell can earn a fulltime LIV spot.
