Cameron Champ has lived up to his last name at every level in golf.
The 23-year-old Champ, from Sacramento, added the PGA Tour to that list when he birdied five of the last six holes at the Country Club of Jackson https://www.ccjackson.com/ to capture the Sanderson Farms Championship by four strokes over Corey Conners of Canada in Jackson, Miss.
The long-hitting Champ, who played at Texas A&M, lost a four-shot lead to Conners on the front nine, but then made four straight birdies through No. 16 and added another on the last hole to win in his ninth start on the circuit.
“The front side, there were some nerves, but on the back side I brought it all together and finished strong,” said Champ, who won the Utah Championship on the Web.com Tour earlier this year. “It was awesome.
“It’s pretty unreal. I can think back to second stage (of PGA Tour Qualifying School), when I kind of almost choked with three holes to go. I made a great putt on 17 to move on to finals.”
Champ, who also made a clutch 15-foot par putt on the 17th hole in Jackson to remain three strokes ahead of Conners, closed with a 4-under-par 68 to post a 72-hole score of 21-under 267.
Conners, seeking his first pro victory, also totaled 68, while Carlos Ortiz of Mexico shot 65 to finish six shots back in a tie for third with Sam Burns, who wound up at 68.
Roberto Castro carded a 65 to finish another stroke back in a tie for fifth with Anders Albertson, who had a 66.
Adam Schenk posted a 67 and was eight down in a tie for seventh with Seth Reeves (68), Denny McCarthy (67), Dylan Meyer (69), Shawn Stefani (71), Martin Laird (70) of Scotland and D.J. Trahan (71).
Defending champion Ryan Armour closed with a 71 and tied for 54th.
For complete results, visit https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/sanderson-farms-championship/leaderboard.html
