MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 9, 2021

Cameron Champ

Quick Quotes

Q. Talk about the momentum you had today.

CAMERON CHAMP: It just got me going kind of in a nice groove. Like I said, Thursday I felt like I played just the same. I just made a few hiccups, so just to get it going solid and then kind of keep it going, and to me I made some good bogeys. 7, just where I was in the rough I didn't want to miss it long. If I pull it off and it lands on the front, great. If not, I'll just get up-and-down from the bunker. 11, same thing there, just had to take my medicine, just eliminate the big numbers because I feel like for me the course sets up well for me and I'm able to make a lot of birdies.

Q. Did you feel like the course was kind of -- not there for the taking, I think that's the wrong word, but you saw some scores that were going on out there and you thought maybe you could get a number today?

CAMERON CHAMP: No, for sure. Like you said, if your game is on, the course is gettable. But again, if you barely miss in some spots, you can go from making a birdie to a double in a heartbeat. We just stuck to our game plan, and like I said, if we got in trouble, just take my medicine and try to make par and move on.

Like I said, for me at least I feel like I'm comfortable and there's a lot more opportunities out there.

Q. Did you envision yourself being three shots behind the leader and in position to contend?

CAMERON CHAMP: Of course. Like I said, I've been putting in the work. I've been doing the proper things and have slowly started to see my game transcend. Obviously, the results haven't been there, but as far as how I've prepared and how I've gone about things, and again, just getting more comfortable out here on TOUR in general has, again, just helped me evolve as a player.

Q. What's the biggest lesson you've learned from this golf course specifically?

CAMERON CHAMP: You have to respect it. But then again, you can be aggressive at certain occasions. So you have to just kind of pick and choose when you want to be, and like I said, for example, on No. 7 if I catch a flier there and fly it in the back bunker, I'm probably making double. Some of those situations you just have to just take your medicine and hopefully you can get it up-and-down.

But then other pins you just have to stay aggressive. Like No. 6 today, there's no reason not to aim at it. You have to just put a good swing on it, and I was lucky enough to do that and get it in there close and make a nice birdie.

Q. You were quite outspoken about the Georgia voting law when you spoke here the other day. I know you said you were hopeful that the club and that Chairman Ridley would talk about the issue. I'm sure you're well aware he did not answer the question if he was for or against the law. What are your thoughts on that?

CAMERON CHAMP: Again, I understand where the difficulties are with it. I have nothing personal. Again, that's what they decided to do, and that was what their opinion was of it.

Like I said, again, I have nothing negative to say about that. Like I said, I know for a lot of people it can be a very touchy subject, especially around the Masters, and I get that. Is it a little frustrating? Maybe. But you know, that's really about all I have to say about it.

Q. Do you see yourself continuing to talk about the issue?

CAMERON CHAMP: Oh, of course, of course. Like I said, it's very frustrating to see that happen. It's very disturbing, too, to be honest. But again, I'm going to speak out -- I'm going to be respectful about it, but at the end of the day it's what's right and what needs to happen.

Q. Does it make it that much more important to use your platform whenever you're out on TOUR?

CAMERON CHAMP: Yeah, for sure. Like I said yesterday, my game is going in the right direction. Have I not played how I wanted to in the last few months? Yeah, I feel like my game is a lot better than the results are showing, but then again, like I said, when the results come, obviously success, but again, my success is helping others and trying to do as much as I can for others. So the better I succeed out here, the more I'm able to help.

Q. Do you think being here this week has energized your game in some way or increased your focus?

CAMERON CHAMP: No, definitely you have to. Like I said, I love it here. From the first time I ever stepped foot on it, I'm super comfortable. I love the layout. I love the test. I like feeling like your back is against the wall. You can never take a shot for granted here. But then again, like you said, when your game is on, you can score, but you just have to kind of stay on your toes at all times, because like you said, you can have one little hiccup that can cost you big.

Q. I saw your dad at Lee Elder's ceremonial first shot. Does the place have extra meaning in that regard and this week have extra meaning to you?

CAMERON CHAMP: Yeah, like I said, Lee has shaped the way for African-American golfers, specifically my grandfather. Like I said, if it wasn't for Lee and Calvin and quite a few other names, my grandfather probably never would have played or been interested. Obviously they caddied as kids to make side money for the family, but there's always inspirational. Just like Tiger for us -- pretty much everybody out here, looked up to him.

It's a huge factor to see what happened Thursday morning, and obviously for me, for my family, and I think just for the African-American community in golf, I think it truly meant a lot.

Q. You have incredible power, effortless power, and you see Bryson really trying to take the place apart. Is that a temptation for you? Are you playing within yourself? How do you apply your power to this golf course?

CAMERON CHAMP: I hit it plenty far. I'm not trying to get anything else out of it. To me once you start doing that you're just going to hit it everywhere and not be able to control it. For me, again, I use a 43-and-a-quarter-inch driver. That's about two inches shorter than standard. That's just how I play. This is how I play the game. I'm not going to adjust it based on if other people are hitting it further or if I feel like I need to hit it further.

To me this is what works. Obviously it worked very well today. I hit it very well off the tee, so I'm just going to keep doing that.

Q. Obviously people would say it's an accuracy oriented course because it's playing fast. Are you playing within yourself more because of that or are you just playing your normal game?

CAMERON CHAMP: Well, today I got in a groove and I was just going. When I get in a groove, honestly the harder I swing, the straighter it goes. But yeah, out here on certain tee balls if you're just in the rough, even though it's not much, you can't put the spin on it to stop it.

Like 17, I was able to hit the fairway today, but if you're just in that small rough area, that green is so firm you wouldn't be able to hold it. It's definitely key. And again, this week I think it challenges every aspect of your game. You have to just stay on top of it.

Q. 15, third shot, just wondering, were you debating on a wedge or just felt like putter had to be the safer shot?

CAMERON CHAMP: Yeah, putter is the safer shot. That green is so fast from back to front. I even told him, I'm really just going to try to leave it right there. If I hit it a little harder on accident and it rolls down there, I'll just kind of act like I was doing that.

Q. You saw what Jordan did yesterday?

CAMERON CHAMP: Yeah, I mean, the grain is so sticky there, you don't know how it's going to react, depending on how hard you hit it. That's just one, again, just take your medicine. If I pull it off, I just kind of tip my cap and act like I was doing that.

Again, like you said, you've just got to respect the course in some ways, and other opportunities you can attack it.