Where Does Cameron Young’s Rocket Mortgage Meltdown Rank Among His Biggest Chokes? Golfer’s Frustrating PGA Tour Journey Explored

Cam Young might have turned professional only in 2019, but the golfer has shown remarkable potential. All of his efforts have brought him very close to victory on several occasions, yet fate intervenes, and his disheartened fandom gets to taste a pang of defeat now and then. The skilled 27-year-old golfer has achieved four wins as a professional, yet none of them have been on the PGA Tour.

Despite being close to winning a major, Young dropped down on the list. His achievements might be short, but he has gained much sympathy from fans. And here is a list of five ranked instances when you, as a golf fan, will be empathizing with Cam Young the most.

5. Cam Young’s first runner-up

In 2021, at the Country Club of Jackson, Cameron Young put up one of his finest performances. With his scores of 67-65-67-68, Young finished with a -21 par, only a stroke behind Sam Burns. He began his very first round with an eagle at the 9th hole. And throughout the rounds, he hit 27 birdies and only a few bogeys. Out of the prize pool of $7,000,000, Young tied for the runner-up position for the first time in his PGA Tour career and took home $623,000.

The golfer was, however, not seen with a broken spirit. Despite being close to his win, he stated, “I love being in contention; I love feeling the nerves, so it was fun today. I enjoyed it, even though it might not have looked like it.” Cameron Young further mentioned how he was aware of his rival, Sam Burns, being ahead of him, but with a missed 7-foot putt on the par-3 10th, Young believed that he would certainly not make mistakes and win another time.

4. Rookie of the Year’s continued runner-up curse

Cam Young was the rookie of the year in 2022. Although he played phenomenally at the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, Young again missed the chance of being victorious on the PGA Tour. Despite scoring 8-under par and the second-lowest round, a score of a solid 4-under 66, in the final round, Young could not dismiss the score difference with Max Homa. 2-strokes behind Homa, Cam Young had shot a birdie on the par-4 16th hole and finished as a tied runner-up next to Keegan Bradley and Matt Fitzpatrick.

On the freezing morning of the last round, Young tried his best to improve his game. Even after a disappointing miss from the winning spot yet again, the then-25-year-old golfer did not lose hope. He reflected in an interview later, “I think I gave myself every chance to shoot something better than that [closing round of 66]. And I just didn’t quite do it. I think I played really well, knowing that I had to do something special to have a chance to win, and I almost did.”

3. A cracked driver at the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic

Cameron Young has been patient for a long and frustrated as well for not getting his PGA Tour’s maiden glory. And 2024’s Rocket Mortgage Classic pushed the golfer to his wit’s end. On the 14th tee, Cameron Young broke his driver in a fit of rage. Although he might have had a chance, he blew it with another bogey at the 18th hole. “As the frustration of missed fairways—he hit just five in the final round and ranked 74th or dead last in the field—and missed putts mounted, Young cracked his driver on the 14th hole, slamming it into the ground and pressing his weight into the shaft after a snap-hook,” said Adam Schupak.

After scoring 1-over 73, Young finished at T6, tied with several other players. He had a similar fate two years ago in the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic, where he had to compromise with another runner-up finish, where Tony Finau won with a 5-stroke lead.

2. Torched by an old teammate two seasons in a row

The Austin Country Club sadly maintained Young’s ill luck with the runner-up position. After his 2021 Sanderson Farms event, Sam Burns returned as Young’s nightmare on the greens. Although Young portrayed an early lead in the match, things started to go in different directions from the 13th hole. Golf.com described how Young’s shot lost a chance after he could not put the golf ball in even after a third try. Even after making 38 birdies and four eagles before the finals, Young lost by a stroke.

Sam Burns is Cam Young’s former Junior Ryder Cup teammate. After his win at the Austin Country Club, Burns remarked, “Oh, what a week.” He continued to say, “I’m so tired. It was fun playing Cam today. I know he didn’t have his best stuff, but it was a great match.”

1. A close call with a major win

The Old Course at St. Andrews could have been Cameron Young’s biggest miss in 2022. The golfer, who has not been able to break out of his runner-up freeze, lost his chance at winning a major. Although he began strong with an 8-under 64, his following two rounds saw a little setback with scores of 69 and 71, respectively. Although he finished the last round with a 7-under 65, he could not omit the one-stroke lead Cameron Smith had accomplished.

Even after an 18-foot-eagle, Cameron Young just could not end his event with a celebration. He later stated, “The more I put myself there, I think I said at the PGA 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.” He further added, “So I guess one of these times I’ll shoot 6 on the back on Sunday, and that will be enough.”

With so much hope and will to improve, Cameron Young is persistent for his very first win. Do you think he will be getting his first maiden glory soon enough?