Cameron Champ returns to defend his title at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. Excerpts from an interview:
We would like to welcome the 3M Open defending champion, Cameron Champ, to the media centre here. What’s it like for you back where you grabbed your third career victory?
Cameron: Yeah, there’s definitely a comfortable factor. I like it here, the course set-up, just the way the whole layouts are, the grass conditions, how right now it’s starting to get that firmness to it, and with the weather conditions with how windy it’s going to be, it’s probably going to firm out a lot. Like I said, it’s just a very comfortable place for me to play.
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Any specific moments from last year from the bogey-free come-from-behind victory?
Cameron: Yeah, that last round I kind of made it look easy, but it wasn’t. I had a
few crucial shots that I made and I made them when I needed, basically whenever I needed to. I made some good putts. Then obviously 18, again, everybody’s saying why did I hit driver; I’m going to hit driver there every single day. It’s a hole that for me, I never double cross it and I double crossed it and it is what it is. I’d rather hit driver up there at worst kind of how I did the first day, I barely missed the fairway, went in the water, but then I hit 9-iron on the green, almost had a chance to birdie and made par. That’s about it.
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Last time out you led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. How’s the putter feeling entering the week?
Cameron: It’s good. Like I said, I’ve figured out some equipment problems I’ve
had for quite a while, so this is probably the most excited I’ve been in a very, very long time. I’m putting it good. Again, these greens is kind of what I’m used to, it’s kind of what I grew up on. I’m just able to see the reads a lot better and they’re always in perfect condition.
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Last year with the lead heading down the stretch, did any of your decisions on those final holes kind of hinge on how they were set up? With 16 playing short and how scorable 18 was and 17 with the 40-foot backstop and a guy like Jhonny Vegas right there, how he can drive, we saw a lot of balls getting to the green on 16. Just wondering what some of the decision making was with the obviously great position you were in.
Cameron: Yeah, we just stuck to our same game plan. I think, if I remember right, we knew 16 was up and like I said it was playing very firm, it was super hot that day. And that hole, no matter what I’m going to go for it on that up tee. Even if it’s windy, it doesn’t make sense to lay back, you have a lot better chance getting it up there even if the pin’s
tucked far right. That far left bunker, I’d rather be there than an 80-yard shot if it’s howling
like this today. And 17 was just get it on the green. With that pin, there’s no reason to hit it in the water. And I remember very vaguely it was an in-between club shot, it was either a hard 7-iron, which if I didn’t catch it well it had a chance to go in the water, or it was a baby 6-iron. I knew I was pretty amped. I almost went with the 7, and luckily the 6, I felt like I babied it and I just hit it on the back edge. To me, that was the important shot was 17, just get it on the green. And 18, I made it interesting. I didn’t know I was going to do that, but having 18 kind of in my back pocket, I knew if I made a nice par there it made me feel like it was over.
