Cameron Champ didn’t expect to be here. That he stood in front of the media after 36 holes of the RBC Canadian Open and spoke of his second-round lead was a product of a bit of good fortune.

Champ, a three-time TOUR winner, has fallen on hard times in recent years. He lost his TOUR card officially last year and wasn’t supposed to be in the field in Canada. Eighth alternate at the start of last weekend, Champ was instead prepping for the Korn Ferry Tour event in South Carolina, where he’s played for the majority of the season.

For some reason, he decided to bring his passport to South Carolina, not even thinking that he might need it if he made his way into the RBC Canadian Open field.

“I definitely didn't think I was getting in, especially at eight (alternate),” Champ said. “I know the deadline, some guys will withdraw over the weekend, something like that, but eight, I was like, yeah, probably not getting in. Luckily, I actually brought my passport. I don't know why I brought it. I was like, you know, I'm just going to bring it in case for whatever reason, not even thinking about the tournament. So it all worked out nicely.”

Nice, indeed. Champ got the call to come on Tuesday night and arrived in Toronto around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning. With just one day of prep, Champ shot 8-under 62 in the first round and backed it up with a Friday 66 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley that propelled him to the lead through the morning wave. If it holds, it would be Champ’s first lead after any round since the second round of the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open.

Champ spoke relatively nonchalantly about it all. That’s just been his life this year. With no full-time status on TOUR, Champ has been fluctuating between the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour, playing when he can get starts off his past champion status. When he doesn’t, he plays the Korn Ferry Tour event. He’s made five starts on the PGA TOUR and eight on the Korn Ferry Tour. And Champ’s been hit or miss wherever he plays. In the five previous TOUR events, he’s missed three cuts. But the two events he has played over the weekend, he’s finished inside the top-20 (T16 at the Puerto Rico Open and T15 at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson). Meanwhile, he’s made five cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour but has just one top-30 finish.

The results have been of little importance to Champ, who alluded to mental struggles that made it “rough for me to even be out here.” Champ said he’s seeing someone to help address those concerns, with full focus on making sure he and his family are happy. After that, he can worry about the golf.

“It's just a refresher to kind of be free in a sense, to feel somewhat of a freedom. I could care less what I shoot. Really, like I said, going through all this and looking back, the result is really not what was bugging me,” Champ said. “These last two days was just a nice -- not sigh of relief, but it was just a joy for me to be able to play like that. I know it's there. I just have to get out of my own way and keep progressing.”

Champ’s first 36 holes are a reminder of his talent when he’s on. He’s always been an inconsistent player, but when things are going good, they are really good. Champ has just 12 top 10s in 158 career starts, but he’s won three of them. The last win came at the 2021 3M Open.

“When I’m in that mindset, or even this week, I’m just going,” Champ said. I’m not really worrying about anything.”

Champ went bogey-free on Friday, hitting 12 of 14 fairways while averaging over 320 yards off the tee. He hit 15 of 18 greens, was a perfect 3-for-3 scrambling and gained strokes in every major category.

It was a tantalizing reminder of the old Cameron Champ, once considered a rising star in the sport. Injuries and poor form derailed those expectations. Now 29 years old and without status, those burdensome expectations are gone. And in a better frame of mind, Champ is ready to enjoy the grind.

“It's been a mental battle, that's for sure, going back and forth and having limited starts. For me now, it's just more so kind of embracing it, embracing the situation I'm in and just try to take advantage of every opportunity I can,” Champ said.