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AUGUSTA, Ga. — Cameron Champ is going to make his third straight cut at the Masters Tournament despite the weather during Friday’s second-round play.
Champ followed up his first-round 72 by shooting 75 on a cool, windy day where wind gusts of up to 30 miles per hour dogged virtually everyone on the course.
After shooting 38 on the first nine, he finished with a birdie on 16 and two pars to close the round.
“It was a thing where I wasn’t playing badly,” Champ said. “I was hitting the ball well, but with the wind swirling and the greens being tricky, you just never know what to expect.”
Near the projected cutline at the finish of the round, Champ’s pivotal play at 16 started with a stellar tee shot that took one bounce after hitting the green before rolling an extra two feet toward the cup, leaving a manageable 5-footer for birdie.
Champ said he wasn’t overly concerned about Friday’s result or the weekend’s prospects given the course conditions which include a Saturday forecast that calls for more gusty winds and temps in the low 60s.
“I feel like, from here on, anyone who can stay somewhere around par is going to have a shot to win,” Champ said.
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The 26-year old from Sacramento, California, said he would spend the rest of Friday relaxing with family and reflecting on the privilege of being a part of Masters history as, along with Tiger Woods and Harold Varner, the first-ever trio of Black golfers to play in the same Masters Tournament.
The impact of that milestone was not lost on him.
“It’s really nice to see things going in the right direction,” Champ said. “Is it close to where it should be? No. It’s not anywhere near being close.”
Champ mentioned how Woods has held the banner of success for non-white golfers for years, and that his presence is still needed to continue shifting perceptions of the game.
“When you see guys like a Tiger Woods out here, just the energy and vibe he brings to the game is like none other,” he said. “Whether he’s shooting an 80 or a 65, he just brings a different atmosphere. I’ve never seen so many people gathered for a Tuesday morning practice round in my life.”
Champ also tossed accolades to Varner, who’s in the top 10 on the leaderboard in his Masters debut, making three birdies Friday en route to a 71 score, good for a two-day total of 142.
“I’m super happy to see him out here doing well,” Champ said. “And also, I have to mention Tony Finau. Though he’s not African American, he’s still out here as a minority and he’s someone I call my brother.”
Champ said he’s passionate about seeing the game of golf become more of a mainstay in communities of color.
“That’s sort of the work my foundation does,” he said. “Just trying to get kids access to the game. For some it’s just too expensive, and that’s what almost made it impossible for me to play as a kid. But thankfully I grew up in a place where there were a lot of public courses. Some places, the only courses are at country clubs.”
The three-time PGA Tour winner says it’s going to take a collective effort from everyone in the sport to truly see the game grow in its diversity.
“It’s going to take not just a village, but it’s going to take the entirety of the tour, those around the Tour and the entire golfing community to get things on a broader level,” he said. “It’s a matter of setting up programs to introduce kids to the game. And it has to be someone who looks like them. You’re not gonna get some guy in a suit coming into those communities saying, ‘Hey, you wanna play golf?’
“It’s going to be easier to get those kids when they see someone who looks like them having success.”
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