It takes Chad Campbell a while to get comfortable on a golf course such as Augusta National, where a premium is placed on experience. Suffice it to say the Texan is right at home after four starts.

Chad Campbell hits out of the bunker on the 18th hole at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. (Rainier Ehrhardt/Staff)

Campbell was the story through two rounds of the 2006 Masters Tournament, leading the field by three shots after opening with 71-67.

A third-round 75 - which featured only four holes played Saturday and the final 14 on Sunday morning before the final round because of bad weather - didn't take him out of contention.

Campbell trailed by only one shot after 54 holes, but his closing 71 wasn't good enough to catch third-round leader Phil Mickelson, who shot 69.

Campbell tied for third place.

"My first couple of years, even in 2005 (when he tied for 17th place), I was definitely pretty nervous and couldn't relax and play," Campbell said. "I was worried about hitting in the wrong place instead of going out there and playing golf."

Before last year's Masters, Campbell concluded that, "I'm not going to worry so much about hitting bad shots because everybody is going to miss it in the wrong place some time or another."

What was it like to be the 36-hole leader at the Masters?

"I was very excited," Campbell said. "It's a tournament everybody wants to win. It's a very special tournament to me, and I was just trying to do the things I needed to do to put myself in position (to win). I knew everybody was watching, and that's great. But I want to be leading after the fourth day, not the second."

Campbell's play in 2005 and 2006 at Augusta National was in stark contrast to his first two trips; he shot 77-77 in 2003 and 76-77 in 2004.

What did Campbell do differently in 2006?

"I drove it and putted it a little bit better," Campbell said. "Those are two key things around there, especially with how long it is now. You need to hit a lot of good tee shots, and obviously, you've always needed to putt good there. I think I have learned a lot about the golf course. I obviously don't know everything, but I know what to hit and not what to hit, and around the greens."

The 32-year-old Campbell, who has played on the previous two Ryder Cup teams, enters the Masters with a renewed sense of purpose after his run at a green jacket last year.

"I definitely take some confidence away from it," Campbell said. "I feel like I played pretty well and had a chance to win on the back nine. I needed to eagle No. 15, I remember, and I didn't pull that off.

"I played all right on Sunday and didn't make as many putts as I needed to," he said. "I hit a couple of bad shots when I needed to hit some good ones. That's golf and part of learning to win that golf tournament."

Reach David Westin at (706) 823-3224 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.