Cameron Champ marks Black History Month with black, white shoes at Waste Management Phoenix Open

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Cameron Champ wore one black and one white shoe to commemorate the start of Black History Month in the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on Friday.

The move recalled fellow Nike athlete LeBron James, who first wore his black/white Equality shoes in an NBA game in 2017.

“It’s the start of Black History Month so I thought I’d kick it off and support it,” said Champ, who shot a second-round 69 to make the cut at 3 under. “With my interracial background, my dad’s side being African-American, my mom’s side being Caucasian, it’s something that means a lot to me and something I wanted to support.”

Champ, 23, has created instant buzz on the PGA TOUR with booming drives and a victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship earlier this season, his first win. He said the decision to wear the shoes came about “last-minute.” He was trying to figure out what to give out to fans at TPC Scottsdale’s par-3 16th hole when he remembered the second round would coincide with Feb. 1.

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“I was like, ‘We should do something for Black History Month,’” he said. “That’s why I’ve got the black shirt and white pants, too.”

The second round was almost memorable for the wrong reasons, as Champ hit his third shot in the water and double-bogeyed the par-5 15th hole. The miscue put him at 1-under and in danger of missing the cut, but made par at the crazy 16th and birdied 17 and 18—the latter after a 375-yard drive, longest of the week—to comfortably make the weekend rounds.

The former Texas A&M golfer, who grew up in Sacramento, California, said he likely will wear a Nike Equality hat Saturday, for the third round.