Cameron Champ takes 36-hole lead at Memorial Amateur

CARMICHAEL, California (May 28, 2017) -- After two rounds of play at The Memorial Amateur, Cameron Champ has taken the lead. Champ (no puns about his last name allowed until tomorrow, he hopes) fired his second-straight round of 4-under 68 at the William Bell-designed Ancil Hoffman golf course. One of the tournament's main goals is to celebrate the importance of Memorial Day as a national holiday. So get this. Champ's second win as a college player was a playoff victory at the Patriot All-America tournament in December of 2016. In that tournament each of the 84 elite collegiate players honors a fallen or severely-injured soldier by carrying a bag carrying the name of that individual. That will change a person's perspective on the importance of golf in the grand scheme of things. Champ honored Staff Sergeant Andrew W. Harvell, was part of an elite special operations team executing a helicopter assault in Afghanistan in August of 2011. While approaching the target, their CH-47 helicopter was shot down, killing everyone on board. Champ, during the Memorial Amateur, is carrying the same bag he was given at the Patriot All America at the Wigwam Resort in Arizona. Given his obvious patriotism, and the holiday we are celebrating Monday, it's going to be hard to root against him. However there will be many chasers that have plenty of their own Memorial Day patriotism going, and who hope to catch Champ. Take for instance Josh McCollum, one of the first round leaders who posted 66, and followed it up with a 72 to sit at 6-under 138. McCollum was in the spirit -- wearing a white Travis Matthew hat with a large American flag on it. McCollum (Upland, Calif.) is tied with Alex Lee of Sacramento. A shot in front of them is round one co-leader David Laskin of Elk Grove at 7-under. On another beautiful day near the state's capital, Champ got to 5-under on with a birdie on the 190 yard par-3 14th hole. He gave one back coming home to finish at 4-under 68. With the nines flipped for this year's tournament, the 18th plays as a 230 yard par-3, and should make for an interesting finish tomorrow, Memorial Day.