Cameron Young has accomplished more in golf at just 26 years old than most players do over their entire career.
After a stellar career at Wake Forest, Young turned professional and immediately made his mark on the Korn Ferry Tour with two victories in 2021. He then went on to win the PGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year award in his first full season in 2021-22, where he made 18 of 25 cuts and was constantly in the mix with seven top 10s. He’s also finished inside the top 10 in three of the four major championships, including a pair of top fives in the PGA Championship (T-3, 2022) and Open Championship (T-2, 2022).
Despite the early success in his young career, Young still hasn’t earned that elusive first victory on Tour. In fact, he’s finished runner-up in a whopping seven of his 60 starts so far. Let’s take a look at Young’s close calls over the last two years and change.
Cameron Young plays a shot from a bunker on the 14th hole during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at Country Club of Jackson on October 03, 2021 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
The first of five runners-up finishes in his rookie season came in his second start at the Sanderson Farms Championship, where he shot four rounds in the 60s and still came up a shot short of Sam Burns at 21 under.
Cameron Young plays his shot onto the second green during the third round of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
His second close call was at the loaded 2022 Genesis Invitational, where he shot 62 in the second round but leaked a little oil with rounds of 69-70 on the weekend to finish alongside Collin Morikawa at 17 under, two shots behind Joaquin Niemann.
Cameron Young of the United States plays an approach shot on the ninth hole during a practice round prior to the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 03, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Sandwiched inside a pair of T-3 finishes at the RBC Heritage and PGA Championship was another T-2 at the Wells Fargo Championship, where Young shot the second-lowest round on Sunday, a 4-under 66, and still finished two shots behind Max Homa, along with Keegan Bradley and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Cameron Young of the USA during Day One of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 14, 2022 in St Andrews, Scotland. 14/07/22 – The Open Day 1 (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The first of two consecutive close calls next came at the 2022 Open Championship at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Young was lights out in the first and final rounds (64 and 65) but opened the door in the middle rounds (69 and 71) for Cameron Smith to beat him by one.
Cameron Young tees off for the 10th during Round 4 of the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club in Detroit on Sunday, July 31, 2022.
Two weeks after the Open at the Rocket Mortage Classic, Young struggled in the first round with a 71 but then went 63-65-68 to finish in a three-way tie for second at 21 under, five shots behind the winner Tony Finau.
Cameron Young congratulates Sam Burns for the win at the 2023 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. (Photo: Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports)
The following season Young had five top 10s in 25 starts with a single runner-up at the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, where he lost to Sam Burns, 6 and 5, in the final match. You’ll remember Burns beat him by one for his first runner-up finish the year prior.
Cameron Young plays his shot on the first tee during the third round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Young was in the driver’s seat down the stretch on his way to victory lane but a wayward drive on the 18th hole doomed him to yet another close call, a solo second two shots behind Peter Malnati.
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