By Grayson Rainey
Cameron Champ is a name not many golf fans think of when considering the top players in the game right now. Most might point to Brooks Koepka and the recent dominance he has on the majors, but not many know about Champ.
The second year player on the PGA Tour has two victories under his belt with a win in Mississippi last year and a victory two weeks ago at the Safeway Open, fending off Adam Hadwin for the title. Champ has one of the fastest club head swings on tour and leads the TOUR in driving distance. Champ has worked hard on his wedge game and earns himself plenty of birdies during the round by driving the ball long and accurate. All this and he is only in his early twenties.
Growing up in Sacremento, California, Champ was taught the game by his father at an early age and eventually went to Texas A&M, where he dominated conference play. In 2017, he made his first appearance in a major at the U.S. Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin. What makes Champ really interesting to watch is that he doesn’t get fazed by mistakes and loves to attack the course, even if the course conditions are tough on a particular day.
With rookie sensations like Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland hitting the scene at an early age, Champ still has plenty of time to make himself a household name. With his victory in Napa, Champ has now earned entry into the 2020 Masters, marking his first appearance at Augusta National and the historic tournament. ANGC suits Champ quite well, as he likes to draw the ball off the tee. This works well because most tee shots at Augusta require the player to hit a draw to hit the correct part of the fairway.
I believe Champ will win multiple times in the coming years and will be a big part in major tournaments such as The Players and other majors due to the fact that he drives the ball so well and is working hard on his irons with his swing coach Sean Foley, who also works with Justin Rose. His peers definitely notice his force each week and like his personality. Also worth noting is that Champ dedicated his win in Napa to his grandfather Mack, who is battling stomach cancer and who Champ considers one of his role models.
Cameron Champ, with his victory at the Safeway Open, now earns an invitation to the Open Championship and the PGA Championship where he will be a name to watch on the leaderboard. Averaging a ball speed around 190 miles per hour is a sure way to gain a ton of distance, no matter what course you are playing on.
Edited by Emma Moloney | [email protected]