Breakout Golfers to Watch in 2023: Cameron Young
There were several breakout stars in 2022 (hello, Tom Kim and Atthaya Thitikul, to name two) but many more golfers look ready for prime time in 2023. In this series, we're highlighting names to know. Next up: Cameron Young. (Previously: Sahith Theegala | Justin Suh | Chris Gotterup)
Ask any PGA Tour player about Cameron Young and they’ll all agree on one thing: He’s here to stay. The Rookie of the Year arguably had his “breakout” season already, but 2023 could be explosive for the smooth-swinging 25-year-old.
Young earned his PGA Tour card for 2021 after he won back-to-back Korn Ferry Tour events, becoming the 10th player ever to do so. That historic stretch of golf helped the Scarborough, New York, native finish 19th on the KFT season-long points list to lock up his Tour card for 2022.
Then Young put together a rookie season for the books. He recorded five runner-up finishes—at the Sanderson Farms Championship, the Genesis Invitational, the Wells Fargo Championship, the British Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic. At the Open, Young sunk an 18-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole on Sunday to secure second place. Young also made his Presidents Cup debut and finished with $6,520,598 in earnings—the most money won by a rookie in the history of the PGA Tour.
The stellar resume that Young has built starts to add up when you take a look at his background. The Wake Forest product is the son of David Young, the head golf professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Located just north of New York City, the A.W. Tillinghast and Charles B. MacDonald course overlooks the Hudson River. Not only did Young get unlimited coaching hours with dad growing up, but he also had one of the most beloved golf courses in the country at his disposal. It was at Sleepy Hollow where Young developed the signature pause at the top of his golf swing that may be the key to his unstoppable consistency.
There’s one way Young can top his 2022 season next year, and that’s with a win. If the New York-area legend keeps at it with his steady play, a victory is surely on the horizon.