Cameron Young didn’t win The 150th Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews on Sunday, but he still accomplished a lot.
By carding a final-round 65, including a 17-foot eagle putt at the last to reach 19 under par – solo second, one short of playing partner Cameron Smith (64) – Young took a step toward potentially winning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors. The Wake Forest product may also have inched closer to making the U.S. Presidents Cup Team, which will play the International Team at Quail Hollow Club this fall.
“I think I gave myself a really nice chance (to win),” said Young, 25, who three-putted the first hole for bogey but mostly dazzled with seven birdies and an eagle. “Frustrating to come up short, but, overall, I think I had a really good week, and I think I hung in there really well today.”
Other than his rough start, his only other misstep was a drive into an unplayable lie at the ninth, leading to another bogey. Otherwise, Young showed no rookie nerves. He was vying to become the 11th player, and second straight after Collin Morikawa last year, to win in his Open debut.
Although fellow Wake Forest alumnus Will Zalatoris has gotten more publicity for his clutch play in the majors, Young may be developing that reputation, too. He tied for third at the PGA Championship in May and has been flirting with his first TOUR win all season. He finished T2 at the Wells Fargo Championship, T3 at the RBC Heritage, T2 at The Genesis Invitational, and T2 at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
He knew he needed something special for the fourth round of The Open. And he produced it.
Alas, so did Smith, who made eight birdies and no bogeys.
“It probably hurts a little worse to come up one shot short,” said Young, who is projected to move from 18th to 13th in the FedExCup standings, tops amongst the rookies with three tournaments remaining in the regular season. “If you lose by eight you don’t really care. But, yeah, I played well today.”
He knew that even an eagle at the last might not be enough, what with Smith on a roll.
“I would have signed up for 65 this morning,” he said. “And to watch Cameron shoot what he did, it was pretty amazing. I think I handled it pretty well. Not as much as some of those other guys, but I’ve at least been around the lead a lot this year. On the PGA TOUR. In a major. So it’s not the first time I’ve been in that situation.
“And the more I put myself there,” he continued, “I think I said at the PGA (Championship), one of these times I’ll shoot 5 under on the back and that will be enough. And today I did. And it wasn’t. So I guess one of these times I’ll shoot 6 (under) on the back on Sunday and that will be enough.”