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 to tie him for first with Luke List, Cameron Smith, K.H. Lee, Mackenzie Hughes and Davis Riley.
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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He won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour last year and earned second-place finishes at PGA Tour events in October and February.
"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."
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.
Bill Rabinowitz covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on Twitter @brdispatch.