Campbell was seen to grab at his shoulder several times during the opening round of the 50th UBS Hong Kong Open.
Campbell birdied two of his closing three holes in a one-over-par 71 on the Hong Kong Golf Club course in suburban Fanling.
It left him seven shots behind playing partner Wengchong Liang who heads the $US2.5 million ($NZ4.62 million) co-sanctioned Asian and European Tour event on six under par.
Fellow New Zealander Danny Lee pulled out on the eve of the tournament after being diagnosed with chicken pox and was replaced by the Philippines Mars Pucay.
The virus throws the appearance of the reigning US Amateur champion in next week's Australian Masters in Melbourne into doubt.
Campbell indicated he could also be in doubt for the Australian Masters -- the event he won in 2000.
The former US Open champion will return home to Sydney on Sunday night and then undergo an MRI examination before heading to Melbourne and next Thursday's starting event at Huntingdale.
"My right shoulder has been giving me problems for the last three or four months, and ever since the British Open," said Campbell said.
"I've been taking a lot of pain-killing and anti-inflammatory tablets since Birkdale and it wasn't until the last five weeks when I had a break from competition that it's flared up again.
"You could probably see that it was hurting me a lot out on the course and it's something that I am conscious of when I'm standing over the ball.
"I had a lot of physio treatment on the shoulder while I was back in Sydney and also this morning before teeing off but I'm going to now have an MRI scan when I get back to Sydney on Monday.
"It will depend on what the doctors say on Monday whether or not I will be able to play in the Australian Masters and also the Australian PGA and the Australian Open.
He said the doctors' advice would determine whether the Hong Kong Open would be his last event for the year.
Meanwhile, Stephen Scahill carded a three over par 73 while Richard Lee had a 76.
Mark Brown, in the afternoon half of the draw, was one under par mid-way through his first round.
