NASSAU, Bahamas — Within the fall, as he was about to play in his first Presidents Cup, Max Homa hatched an thought.
Homa had not but gotten to know Cameron Younger, the PGA Tour Rookie of the Yr final season with a exceptional rise to elite standing and such a short while faraway from having zero standing on any professional tour. Younger is super-introverted, so Homa determined he was going to make his enterprise to get to know the stoic 25-year-old from Westchester.
“I sort of began with the concept that I wished to crack him to see what his character is about,’’ Homa informed The Put up. “And the subsequent factor I do know, we simply grew to become, like, associates. He’s a really stoic man, however he’s obtained an important character.’’
Full disclosure: Once I coated U.S. Open sectional qualifiers over time and got here throughout Younger quite a lot of instances when he was in rivalry, I used to be all the time greatly surprised by how joyless he appeared. Together with his father, David, the long-time head professional at Sleepy Hole Nation Membership, the place Cameron was lucky sufficient to develop up studying the sport, I typecast him as a spoiled nation membership child.
Homa has by no means “cracked’’ Younger and nor have I, however we’ve each come to the same conclusion: He’s is an outdated soul, a deep-thinking one that occurs to not be very outgoing however is freaking good at golf.
Fewer than two years in the past, Younger couldn’t get a tee time on the Korn Ferry Tour — or any tour, for that matter. Now, he’s ranked 18th on the earth and is among the many elite 20 gamers at Tiger Woods’ Hero World Problem this week, opening Thursday’s first spherical at 1-under, two photographs off the lead.
This solely months after Younger performed on the U.S. Presidents Cup staff following a exceptional yr during which he had 5 runner-up finishes, shattered the PGA Tour file for many cash earned by a rookie at $6.5 million and almost received the PGA Championship and the British Open.
It’s all been an enormous soar, and Younger is aware of it.
Whereas strolling with him on the Hero pro-am Wednesday, I requested Younger what he was most pleased with from his rookie season.
“I believe I dealt with the change in standing fairly properly,’’ he mentioned. “I nonetheless wrestle to think about myself as somebody who’s out right here with all these guys. Like in Presidents Cup, I struggled to suppose that I slot in with that room of men as a result of they’re all main champions, a number of winners. Clearly, I’m none of these issues.
“However I believe I stored my wits about me making an attempt to do what I do, no matter if nobody had ever heard of me or I used to be named Rookie of the Yr.’’
Younger mentioned being at occasions just like the Presidents Cup and this week on the Hero “helps as a result of I get to spend a while with guys that I’ve appeared as much as for a very long time.’’
The factor about how good Younger grew to become so shortly is that this: These guys to whom he referred have been wanting up at him and marveling.
After Billy Horschel performed two rounds with Younger on the Honda Basic in March, he took to Twitter and, in a completely unsolicited put up, gave him a glowing shout-out.
“Simply watching him, I felt like he’s obtained the potential to be a worldwide celebrity who’s going to win majors,’’ Horschel informed The Put up. “Truthfully, he might have walked away with two or three majors final yr.’’
Horschel beloved Younger’s story and described his speedy rise as “insane.’’
Justin Thomas, among the finest gamers on the earth, noticed Younger up shut whereas enjoying within the remaining group with him final yr within the Genesis at Riviera, one in every of Younger’s 5 runner-up finishes final season.
“I knew he was a rookie and by no means met him, by no means performed with him, and I keep in mind the primary gap he hit within the entrance bunker in two,’’ Thomas recalled. “I keep in mind pondering, ‘For a rookie, remaining group of an enormous occasion, that is in regards to the worst begin you might consider.’ He hit that one out to about 12 toes and made it for par. I keep in mind sort of pondering like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s fairly spectacular.’
“A pair holes go by, he makes one other birdie, and abruptly we’re on 14, and he’s like two [shots] again. I simply checked out Bones [Mackay, Thomas’ caddie], and I’m like, ‘This child’s actually good. He’s dealt with this second unbelievably.’ And he continued to try this the remainder of the yr. I believe he’s going to have an unbelievable profession.’’
Younger’s profession, although nonetheless in its infancy, remains to be lacking that first victory. For all the nice issues he did final season, he by no means crossed the end line first. That, Younger insists, just isn't one thing he’s obsessing about.
“As usually as he got here shut final yr, he believes that, in the end, it’s only a matter of time till a kind of weeks is his,’’ Younger’s father and coach David informed The Put up. “Alternatively, he’s anxious to get that over with and type of get on with that and never have than hanging over him. It does weigh on you out right here. Till you win, you actually don’t really feel such as you’re actually a part of the higher crust till you begin profitable.’’
Not way back, Scottie Scheffler was the most well liked participant on the earth however didn’t have a win. Now, he’s received 4 instances and is a Masters champion.
Although you won't see it from the even-keel expression on his face, Younger does have a pulse. He recalled calling his supervisor after his second-place end at Sanderson Farms final yr and being “pissed that I misplaced.’’
“He informed me, ‘Name me again in 24 hours, and also you’ll notice simply how a lot good you’ve executed for your self,’ ’’ Younger mentioned.
That certainly started a life-changing chain response. His runner-up end on the Sanderson Farms earned him a spot at Genesis, the place his second-place end there boosted his world rating to fifty fifth and obtained him into the Match Play, inching him nearer to stepping into the Masters.
And now, right here we're.
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