Cameron Champ was just happy to be playing this week at the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
After getting a phone call on Wednesday afternoon that he was in the field, he packed and hopped in the car from his home in Houston and took advantage, riding a hot putter to shoot 7-under 64 on Thursday at TPC Craig Ranch in the Dallas suburb of McKinney, Texas. That was tied with Stephan Jaeger and good enough to be just a shot off the pace set by Rico Hoey.
Champ didn’t get into the field until Gary Woodland withdrew on Wednesday on the eve of the tournament.
“It’s definitely been an interesting two days, that’s for sure,” Champ said.
Champ, who had made just three starts on the Tour this season, didn’t give much of an indication out of the gate that he had a low round in him, opening with two bogeys in his first three holes. But he ended up making birdies at half the holes at the Tom Weiskopf layout softened by more than 2 inches of rain this week, which caused preferred lies to be instituted for the first round.
Champ, who started at No. 10, made the turn in 2 under before reeling off five birdies and no bogeys on his second nine, including a 21-foot putt at No. 3, his longest putt of the day. Champ gained more than five strokes on the green against the field, which ranked first among the early finishers.
“Today I was just seeing it,” he said and noted he tried keep it simple. “I feel like even myself, I think I can overcomplicate it a lot. Just find my reads, trust it, and after that, you just have to have good speed.”
Champ lost his Tour card last season despite ranking first in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 25th in SG: Putting, which is usually a lethal combination on Tour. Unfortunately, Champ ranked 181st in SG: Approach the Green and 182nd in SG: Around the Green. Champ entered the week having missed his last two cuts and ranked 190th in the FedEx Cup this season.
“Today was just a good day as far as ball striking goes,” Champ said. “Those wayward shots I was able to scramble.”
Champ is a three-time Tour winner and when his game is clicking, he’s been tough to beat – all three of his top-5 finishes during his career have been wins.
Rico Hoey is clubhouse leader at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Hoey, a second-year pro, is searching for his first Tour title. After a slow start to the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, Hoey heated up in a hurry. Starting his first round at TPC Craig Ranch on the back nine, the 29-year-old pro opened with eight holes straight pars before he chipped in for eagle from 37 feet short of the green at the par-5 18th.
“The eagle was great,” he said. “I knew it’s a long track and being first off it’s just hard to get your mind and body going. I did that and felt like I was playing well.”
The cover came off the lid and Hoey rattled off five birdies in a row beginning at the second and six in all to play his final 10 holes in eight under and posted 8-under 63.
Hoey’s putter, which has been his bugaboo all season – he ranks 192nd in SG: putting – led the way. He needed just 25 putts on Thursday after working with his putting coach on his setup this week on site.
“Just a matter of matching read and speed and alignment,” he said.
Just as Champ entered the tournament without his typical prep, Hoey said he benefited from the inclement weather, which closed the course for much of the day.
“Being out here you want to grind and be the best, but sometimes having that day off helps out, too,” he said. “I am glad we had a day off. I feel like I benefited out of it.”
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