Cameron Young has begun the 154th British Open at Royal Birkdale with a promising 3-under-par 67, signaling a potential return to his dominant early-season form.
After securing significant victories at the Players Championship in March and the Cadillac Championship in May, Young experienced a period of less stellar performances. His results leading up to the British Open included a tie for 10th at the Truist, a tie for 26th at the PGA Championship, a tie for 46th at the Memorial Tournament, a tie for 43rd at the U.S. Open, and a tie for 47th at the Travelers Championship.
"It is hard, and I feel like I’m inclined toward frustration generally when I don’t perform really well," Young said. "It does just come and go. It feels so easy sometimes. It feels like you wake up 2-under every day for a little while, and then for a little while it can go the other way."
Young views the British Open as an opportunity for a reset. "So really, this week’s a nice reset," he stated. "You never know what you’re going to get here conditions-wise — totally different styles, different shots. It’s a really nice chance to just take things as they come and see each shot as its own thing."
He capped his opening round with a crucial par save on the 18th hole, sinking a 15-foot putt. "That 18th hole is one of the hardest holes I’ve played in professional golf," Young commented. "It’s a beast. I just made a bad mistake. I just made a poor swing. I was really happy to get out of there with a par. To get out of there with a four is really nice to be two (shots) back instead of three."
Young is currently two shots behind leader Jackson Suber, who shot a 5-under 65 on Thursday.