Although Cameron Young played multiple sports growing up, golf was always his trajectory. Born in 1997 in Scarborough, N.Y., Young was immersed in the game from an early age — his father, David, served as the longtime head professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club.
A standout amateur and collegiate player at Wake Forest, Young captured back-to-back Metropolitan Ike Stroke Play titles in 2015 and 2016 and became the first amateur to win the New York State Open, firing a course-record 64 at Bethpage Black.
Turning professional in 2019, Young quickly proved his potential. Two victories on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2021 secured his PGA Tour card. His 2022 rookie season was exceptional — runner-up at the Open Championship, a tie for third at the PGA and a Presidents Cup debut. He earned Rookie of the Year honors with 94 percent of the vote.
Despite seven PGA Tour runner-up finishes, a win remained elusive — until August 2025. At the Wyndham Championship, Young broke through with a dominant six-shot victory, tying the tournament record at 22 under par and becoming the 1,000th unique PGA Tour winner since 1860. He finished the season fourth on the money list, with 18 cuts made in 25 starts, buoyed by a significant improvement in his putting.
His season culminated at the Ryder Cup, held fittingly at Bethpage Black. There, Young posted a 3-1-0 record, including a decisive singles win over Justin Rose with a birdie on the final hole. Though Team USA fell short, Young’s performance stood out.
Now 28 and living in Jupiter, Fla., Young has firmly established himself as one of the Tour’s premier talents, culminating with a dramatic victory at the Players Championship this past weekend.
Scroll below for a breakdown of six key positions that power his explosive swing.
1. Setup
At just under 6 feet and exceptionally strong and athletic, Young bends forward and reaches for the ball more than most shorter players, who utilize a more upright posture to give them freedom to turn back and through. It helps Cam keep his swing as tight as a drum.
2. Takeaway
Cam’s takeaway features an up-and-out clubhead with little clubface rotation. Players who do this will generally rotate their left arm and clubface late in the backswing. A very anti-left move. Hook it too much? Try this!
3. Top
Cam has a slightly strong left-hand grip, evident from the clubface being more closed than his left wrist. His compact appearance stems from minimal wrist cock and maintained right knee flex, though he turns tremendously and swings his left arm deep into and up his chest.
4. Downswing
Young quickly unwinds his chest, leveraging his strong legs, upper body and arms to pull the club down forcefully into the classic “through the forearm” position. His hips are already open, with his chest close behind.
5. Impact
Cam’s swing features massive right-side bend that continues its shape all the way down to his right knee. His hips have turned more than they have shifted to the target, helping him get as open as possible and still hit the ball high with “forward” hands.
6. Release
Look at the logo on Young’s upper back — he’s super open and crazy tilted! This allows him to keep the clubhead outside his hands for an extended amount of time and keep the clubface less closed than most Tour players at this point. His still-bent front leg and rolled left foot are reminiscent of young Johnny Miller.
