Cameron Young continued his rise from golf’s nearly-man to one of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars at The Players, coming through a major-style Sunday to claim the biggest win of his career.
Ryder Cup stars, past major champions and PGA Tour rookies battled it out at the top of the leaderboard during a thrilling final day at TPC Sawgrass, where Young broke through the pack to snatch a memorable victory.
As Ludvig Åberg blew an overnight three-shot lead on the back nine, playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick stuttered to a closing bogey and a host of challengers made mistakes down the stretch, Young delivered when it mattered most and took the $4.5million top prize.
Ludvig Åberg went into the water on back-to-back holes at The Players to throw away his lead!
Young started the day four strokes behind Åberg and remained three shots back at the turn, with the American still one behind Fitzpatrick until holing a clutch 10-foot birdie at the 17th – his third in his many days on one of golf’s most iconic par-threes.
The 28-year-old then launched a monster 375-yard drive down at the fairway at the par-four last and found the back fringe with his approach shot, as a kick-in par – after Fitzpatrick made bogey – with the final shot of the week gave him the lead for the first time in the tournament.
Cameron Young reflects on claiming an impressive win at The Players
“The atmosphere out there, the way that I felt feels very much like a major championship,” Young said after his win. “I’ve been around the lead with a hole or two to go in a few majors, and it’s the best prep that you could ask for.
“This place is plenty difficult. It’s incredibly demanding mentally, and to have gotten through that and played the way that I did today is the best prep that I can ask for.”
Highlights of Young’s final round, where he overturned a four-shot deficit to snatch victory
Young’s career has only taken an upwards trajectory since his breakthrough win at the Wyndham Championship last August, having been winless in his first 93 PGA Tour starts despite claiming seven runner-up finishes – including in The Open – during that period.
An impressive Ryder Cup debut followed the following month in his home state, where he finished joint-top scorer for Team USA and was one of the few positives in a home loss against Team Europe at Bethpage Black.
Young’s early-season form was already suggesting a return to the winner’s circle could be close, finishing tied-seventh at the Genesis Invitational and a share of third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with a one-shot win at The Players his second PGA Tour title in 11 starts.
An evident growth in confidence has helped him reach a career-high of world No 4 and now leaves him targeting what the last two winners of The Players have done – follow victory at Ponte Vedra Beach by securing the Green Jacket at The Masters a month later.
“My mind for the first part of this season is preparing for The Masters,” Young added. “So my goal is to be in contention as much as possible before that.
“This tournament certainly has a major feel and The Players is an unbelievable event. I feel like if anything, it’s the best possible prep you could ask for our first major of the season.
Young won The Players by one shot after Matt Fitzpatrick missed a par putt on the 18th green
“I don’t have any specific goals. My goal is to be prepared to be playing late on Sunday at Augusta. It’s not necessarily to win, it’s not to do any certain number of things; it’s to be ready and comfortable when that moment comes.”
Defending champion Rory McIlroy may have finished long before the final group tee off on Sunday and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler may not have been in contention, but the tournament still produced a leaderboard that would not have looked out of place on the last day of a major.
Rory McIlroy reflected on his week at The Players and debating whether he was going to add another event before The Masters
Fitzpatrick admitted how ‘frustrating’ it was not have closed out victory, which would have seen him become the first Englishman to win The Players, while Åberg revealed it ‘definitely stings’ that he failed to close out a 54-hole lead for the third time in four attempts as a professional.
Xander Schauffele, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood and Sepp Straka all contended during that final day, something they will look to do again at Augusta National in April. Young beat the lot and will now have a maiden major in his sights.
What’s next?
The PGA Tour stays in Florida for the Valspar Championship, held at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 6pm.
There’s less than four weeks to go until the opening men’s major of the year, with McIlroy’s title defence at The Masters exclusively live from April 9-12 on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.
