A ‘nobody’ not long ago, Cameron Young continues impressive rise at Memorial Tournament

Less than two years ago, Cameron Young hadn’t cracked the top 2,000 in the golf rankings.

Now the 25-year-old from New York is the favorite to be the PGA Tour’s rookie of the year. Young continued his sizzling play Thursday in the first round of the Memorial Tournament with a 5-under 67, which was tied for the lead among the morning golfers.

Two weeks ago, Young finished tied for third at the PGA Championship. He tied for second and tied for third in the two tournaments that preceded that.

“It’s been really fun,” Young said. “It’s been certainly a climb.”

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“I think we knew what was possible,” he said, “but I think I’ve also gotten a lot better throughout this season. I think I’m continuing to figure out how to play professional golf better. I think I’m learning what I can and can’t do, and having done well, makes it a lot easier.

“If I was really fighting to keep my card for next year, I think it gets a lot harder. To have been around the lead and then finish high a few times, that comfort level has gone up.”

“To have the opportunity to play here at (Jack Nicklaus’) playground is awesome,” said Young of appearing in his first Memorial Tournament.

He said the key has been to keep the game as uncomplicated as possible.

“I think it’s something that I strove with in college and amateur golf,” the Wake Forest alum said. “Learning to keep yourself playing simple golf, whether it’s going good or bad, is a major thing for me.

“If I can figure out a way to play a golf course most simply, that’s what we’re going to choose. Sometimes that means a really conservative shot and sometimes it means a shot that feels right.”

Young played well from the start Thursday. Starting on the back nine, he birdied the 12th and 13th holes. Young then eagled the par-5 15th hole, making a 15-foot putt. After two bogeys on the front nine, he birdied No. 7 and No. 9, the latter from 27 1/2 feet.

“I just hit a bunch of good shots early and made kind of the crucial little saves to kind of keep that momentum going with some pars,” Young said. “The eagle in the middle was obviously a nice little bonus.”

Though he’s only 5-11 and 185 pounds, Young is the eighth-longest driver on tour (317.2-yard average) and ranks second off the tee.

“If I can hit the driver well, I’m going to put myself in a lot of places where not only do I have a chance to make birdie, but it’s hard to make a bogey,” he said.

This is Young’s first Memorial, and Jack Nicklaus’ tournament is one he has long wanted to play.

“This is a special one,” he said. “Obviously, he’s one of, if not the best, players of all time. To have the opportunity to play here at his playground is awesome. I mean, it’s a place I’ve watched on TV for years. To get to play the golf course is amazing. It’s a special place.”

But his first impressions of Muirfield Village were daunting.

“When we got here on Monday and the greens were like concrete, it was a little scary,” he said. “But thankfully we had a little rain last night, so it wasn’t quite as hard today.”

Young said he has had only one brief encounter with Nicklaus. It happened at the 2019 U.S. Open.

“He was walking at me and I said, “Hi, I’m Cameron,’” Young said. “He was very nice. Said hello and kind of moved on. But I was nobody. I’d just gotten out of college.”

Asked if he thought Nicklaus had any idea who he was, Young replied, “Definitely not.”

If Young continues his strong play and gets his first PGA Tour win, a more memorable greeting from Nicklaus will await him on the 18th green Sunday.

Bill Rabinowitz covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on Twitter @brdispatch.