Champ, who started at No. 10, made the turn in 2 under before reeling off five birdies and no bogeys on his second nine, including a 21-foot putt at No. 3, his longest putt of the day. Champ gained more than five strokes on the green against the field, which ranked first among the early finishers.

The recent form may not look good based on his results, but the three-time major winner appears ready to turn a corner.