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Cameron Champ Finds Game in Dallas

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Alex Miceli | Last updated May 1, 2025 3:57 PM ET

Sitting at home and waiting for a call, Cameron Champ knew he may have to forgo any weekend activities with the family, since his number was moving north on the alternate list for The CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

Then the call came in on Wednesday afternoon from Houston to Dallas.

Champ arrived around 9:00 on Wednesday night, but after shooting a 7-under 64 in the first round, you would think he’d slept on the course the night before.

“Today was just a good day as far as ball striking goes,” Champ said of his nine-birdie performance. “Those wayward shots, I was able to scramble. Two of them I was able to make pars. From there, I just rolled the ball well today.”

Good days have been few and far between for the 29-year-old from California.

A T9 at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October 2023 is his last Top 10, and since then, he has recorded 18 missed cuts in 26 appearances in 2024.

In that 26-tournament stretch, Champ had a run of eight consecutive missed cuts from early April at the Valero Texas Open to mid-July, finishing T50 in Bermuda.

Needless to say, Champ has been in a major slump for all of 2024. When the calendar turned, Champ saw few opportunities in 2025, with a T16 Puerto Rico and missed cuts in the Dominican Republic and last week in the team event at Zurich in New Orleans.

“Even considering last year, how many cuts I missed by one, it was like 11 or 12 or something, I haven't really been playing that bad, it's been a couple holes here or there that just alters my round,” Champ said. “Throughout the year and even this year, kind of the same deal, one or two holes and one week I'm hitting it well, next week I'm struggling putting well. It's been a little mix match.”

Champ maintains the issues with his game are not a swing issue, but more between his ears.

Physically, he has worked as hard as ever. Champ vocalized about his physical abilities, but where he is struggling is on the mental side.

“It was a nice way to play,” Champ said. “Not trying to force it, letting it come to me. I've been hitting it well, doing everything well, so at this point it's just trying to stay out of my own way.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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