Cameron Young is absolutely tearing it up this year, with two massive victories already under his belt, but Alex Fitzpatrick is out here saying we’re all sleeping on the real secret to Young’s game: his short game is a straight-up joke. Fitzpatrick, who played alongside Young back at Wake Forest University, has been watching this breakout year unfold and isn’t surprised one bit. Young has already snagged wins at The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship, a huge leap from going into last year’s Wyndham Championship still chasing his first PGA Tour victory. This guy was Team USA’s best player at the 2025 Ryder Cup, even beating Justin Rose in Sunday singles. You telling me we aren’t seeing the whole picture here?
The Truth About Young’s Game, According to a Pro
Fitzpatrick was straight up on the No Laying Up podcast, spilling the beans on why Young’s success felt inevitable. “Cam was one of the very few people that I’ve played golf with and been like, ‘wow, this is seriously good’,” Fitzpatrick said. He’s been baffled why it took so long for Young to blow up. “I honestly believe that this year is the golf that he would be playing for a long time.” He broke down Young’s arsenal: “He just hits the ball a long way, his approach play’s great. I don’t think people realise how good his hands are, his short game is a joke. And then once he finds the putter hot, it’s hard to catch.” This isn’t some new development; Fitzpatrick always believed Young would do well, saying it was “more a matter of time than anything else.” It’s clear Young’s talent runs deep, and Fitzpatrick even added, “He’s great, I love him to bits, he’s not changed since college. He mumbles all the time. People think he’s unhappy, but he’s not. He doesn’t change, which I think is the best thing.” That kind of consistency, plus that “joke” short game? Watch out.
The Numbers Tell a Wild Story About Young’s Season So Far
Here’s the kicker, though. While Fitzpatrick is raving about the short game, Cameron Young himself is probably pulling his hair out over his putting this year. Talk about a plot twist! In 2025, Young was ranked 7th on the PGA Tour for strokes gained putting. Seventh! This year? He’s plummeted all the way down to 89th. That’s an 82-spot drop, people! Yet, somehow, his strokes gained around the green ranking has shot up from 107th to 34th. It totally backs up Fitzpatrick’s point about his hands and short game.
This Open performance at Royal Birkdale wasn’t just another tournament; it really felt like a turning point, a real return to form for the 29-year-old. It was his first top 40 finish since the PGA Championship. He almost got to the winning score himself, before Ryan Fox made a stunning birdie on the last. Now, with that “joke” short game clearly hitting its stride, and the putting potentially finding its rhythm again after a shaky start, everyone should absolutely be expecting Cameron Young to close out the season strong. He’s already shown he can win the big tournaments, like The Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship, and frankly, the rest of the tour should be worried about what he’s going to do next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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