Cameron Young has opened up about the painful conclusion to the Open Championship after Ryan Fox secured his first major title with a birdie on the 18th hole.
Fox finished one shot ahead of Young following a thrilling final round at Royal Birkdale. The victory made the 39-year-old New Zealander a major champion for the first time and proved popular with the fans, but it left Cameron Young reflecting on how quickly the tournament slipped away from him.
Speaking ahead of the Rocket Classic in Michigan, Cameron Young praised Fox’s performance over the closing holes while admitting he had briefly believed a playoff was the most likely outcome.
“I’ve put myself in position a couple of times and that’s the main thing you can ask for. If you’re in opsition anything can happen. Ryan Fox played a great last five holes, last six holes. It was looking good there for a minute, and then he made some putts down the stretch,” Cameron Young said at the Rocket Classic, per Golf Digest.
Cameron Young appeared to have done enough to remain in contention after producing one of the best rounds of the day. Playing earlier on Sunday, he shot a 64 to establish the clubhouse lead at nine-under par.
Several players initially looked capable of moving beyond that total, but scoring became increasingly difficult as the course conditions changed. Cameron Young’s chances improved with each missed opportunity from the players still on the course.
By the time Fox reached the final hole, Cameron Young was in position to either win the championship outright or take part in a playoff. Fox responded under pressure, producing a brilliant finish and making the decisive birdie to claim the Claret Jug.
“I was in a position where, you know, the overwhelming liklihood was I was going to be in a playoff at worse. And he hit three amazing shots. So that kinda is what it is. If I’m anybody but me, that’s a lot of fun to watch. I obviously was hoping for a different outcome. Not rooting against the guy, but yeah, I was close.”
The result made Cameron Young only the fourth golfer in Open Championship history to finish runner-up by a single shot on two occasions. He also came close at St Andrews in 2022, when Cameron Smith held him off by one stroke.
Cameron Young Press Conference
Despite the disappointment, Cameron Young has enjoyed a strong PGA Tour season. He has already collected two victories and will now attempt to secure his third at the Rocket Classic. His form suggests another opportunity to win a major may not be far away, although the dramatic finish at Royal Birkdale will remain a difficult one to forget.
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