Cameron Champ (blue) with his father Jim after winning the Sanderson Farms Open.
It only took eight tournaments on the PGA Tour for Cameron Champ to capture his first victory. The 23-year-old former Oklahoma State University star, and former No. 1 ranked amateur, literally flew past the field to win the Sanderson Farms Open, in Jackson, Miss.
Champ used his enormous length off the tee _ 343-yard average for the week_ to eat up the par-5s, and post a score of 21-under, and a four-shot victory. There is significance to Champ’s victory. He is the first golfer of African descent _ other than Tiger Woods _ to win on the PGA Tour since Jim Thorpe won the 1986 Seiko Match Play.
Champ is the son of a black father and white mother. He was introduced to the sport by his paternal grandfather (Mack) when he was only 2-years-old. He exploded on the world golf at the 2017 U.S. Open, where he was in the hunt for the title. Champ was four-under par through the first three rounds, before fading to a four-over-par 76 on the final day.
Champ used his prodigious length to overpower the field at the Sanderson Open. His 343-yard driving average was 29-yards farther than the next competitor. Click below to see highlights of Champ’s final round.
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