Scottie Scheffler's 65 put him o top at the halfway point of the Trans-Miss
(Trans-Miss photo)
By Art Stricklin for AmateurGolf.com
HUTCHINSON, KS (July 12, 2017) -
Cameron Champ continued to build on his strong amateur performance at the U.S. Open by grabbing the second round lead at 114th annual Trans-Mississippi Championship at warm and windy
Prairie Dunes Country Club.
Related: Trans Miss Amateur: Crouch, Richardson share round 1 lead
Champ, a Texas A&M senior from Sacramento, California, was only one of two amateurs to make the 36 hole cut at Erin Hills last month and showed that was no fluke by shooting a second round 65 for a 135 total, five-under-par, and a one shot lead over Stanford University golfer
Franklin Huang who also shot 65.
First round co-leader
Stoney Crouch, who recently graduated from Lipscomb University shot a second 69 and is tied with Haung for second with a 136 total.
Champ said the confidence gained at Erin Hills last month at the Open carried over to the Trans-Miss where temperatures closed in on 100 for the second straight day and winds of 10-20 miles an hour.
“
That performance showed me what was possible for the future and what I could do,” Champ said. “I have battled (back) injury problems and haven’t been able to show my true potential. That is a big confidence boost what I did there.”
Champ birdied two of his last three holes on the day, the par 5 7th and par 4 9th holes, his 16th and 18th of the day. For the second round he had six birdies and only one bogey.
He showed the dedication and rebounding ability from day one when he made a triple bogey 7 on the par 4 11th hole, but still came back to shoot an even par 71 and was four shots back going to the second day.
“I have loved my time at Texas A&M, but I want to continue to play major amateur golf in the U.S. and internationally.”
Huang, from Poway, California, a senior this year at Stanford known as Frank the Tank at his school, had an eagle on the par 5 seventh hole and birdies on both 16 and 18 sandwiched in a bogey on 17. He also had a triple bogey six on the second hole during the first day and came back to record a 71.
Crouch had 16 pars in his round with two birdies and a bogey to remind on a shot out of the lead.
“This is one of the biggest tournaments I’ve ever played in so I’m very excited,” he said.
Former Trans Miss Champ
Collin Morikawa is fourth at 68-138. Defending champion
Will Zalatoris, bidding for his third win in four years, fired a second round 70, and is tied for 21st place at 143.
ABOUT THE Trans-Miss Championship
The Trans-Miss is one of the oldest and
most storied golf tournaments in the United
States.
For 106 years the championship
was played in a match play format.
Past champions include Jack Nicklaus (1958
and 1959), Charles Coe (1947, 1949, 1952 and
1956), Deane Beman (1960), George Archer
(1963), Ben Crenshaw (1972), Gary Koch
(1973), Bob Tway (1978), Mark Brooks (1978)
and other professional tour notables. In
1987 the championship was changed to a mid-
amateur age requirement, and a senior division
was also added. Starting in 2010, the Trans-
Mississippi Championship, returned to its roots
as an
open amateur tournament, and immediately
established itself as a "must-play" among
top collegiate and mid-am players, while
changing to
a 72-hole stroke play format. The field size
starts at
144 players from Trans-
Mississippi Golf Association member clubs (or
players receiving a special invitation from the
Championship Committee). After 36 holes, a cut
is
made to the low 54 and ties who play the final
two
rounds.
View Complete Tournament Information