Champ shoots 65, takes one-stroke lead at Sanderson Farms tourney

JACKSON, MISS. — Cameron Champ’s booming drives have made him quite the curiosity during his short time on the PGA Tour.

The rest of his improved game has turned him into a contender this week at the Country Club of Jackson.

Champ shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead Thursday in the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Cameron Tringale was a stroke back, and Rory Sabbatini, D.J. Trahan, Andres Romero, Chad Ramey and Robert Streb followed at 67. There were still 12 players on the course when play was suspended because of darkness. Seth Reeves was at 5 under through 16 holes.

Champ’s drives sliced through the wet, windy and unseasonably cool conditions without much of a problem. On the par-4 18th, he blasted a 347-yard drive and hit his approach to 4 feet to set up his fifth back-nine birdie. The 23-year-old earned his PGA Tour card on the Web. com Tour last season.

Even more impressive about that 347-yard drive? He wasn’t really going for distance because of the weather conditions.

“Today I was just trying to hit the fairways,” Champ said. “The rough out here is pretty thick.”

Champ played in college at Texas A&M and said the windy conditions in that area of the country have given him plenty of practice for dealing with what he experienced on Thursday. He kept most of his drives in the fairway, which allowed him to have a solid day with his short game and putting.