When Michael Campbell last finished runner-up in a golf tournament he was ranked 21st in the world, Australian Idol winner Damien Leith had the No.1 song in Australia and Happy Feet was on top of the box office.

It has been a largely difficult road in the 170 professional events across almost 13 years since but ‘Cambo’ has shown he will be a force on the seniors circuit after finishing tied for second at the Seniors PGA Championship at London Golf Club on Europe’s Staysure Tour.

In just his fourth event amongst the over-50 set, Campbell eagled the 72nd hole of the tournament to climb from seventh through 54 holes to finish two back of Welshman Phillip Price and tied with Australian Peter Lonard.

“It was nice to be out there in the arena competing again,” Campbell said in an Instagram post following his second consecutive round of 5-under 67.

“To my coach Jonathan Yarwood, I can’t thank you enough for what you have done for me over the last six months, it’s been incredible.”

When he shot 81-79 to miss the cut at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in his senior’s debut in May, contending for a title seemed a long way off but Campbell’s hard work paid off as he stormed home with a back nine of 31.

Level with Campbell, Lonard topped what was a very strong week for the Aussies in the field.

Tied for fifth at the Senior Open a week earlier, Victorian David McKenzie took a one-shot lead into the final round but three bogeys in his final five holes led to an even-par 72 and a tie for fifth.

Lonard set up his best finish on a senior’s tour with a second round of 64 that featured nine birdies and a solitary bogey.

Even-par through the front nine on Sunday, Lonard dropped birdies at the 11th, 13th and 18th holes to shoot 3-under and take a share of second.

Courtesy of a third round of 64, Peter Fowler also began the final round well and truly in contention but a double-bogey on the par-4 third put him on the back foot.

Four birdies on the back nine enabled him to complete the final round in 1-under 71, one shot behind McKenzie in a tie for sixth.

On the European Challenge Tour, both Jordan Zunic and Ben Eccles missed the cut at the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge.

Staysure Tour