Cam Young’s turning point
Cameron Young moved into contention with a 65 on Saturday thanks to accurate driving, but coverage notes he struggled with putting on Sunday — including a crucial lip‑out at the 16th — that stopped his charge (media; YouTube) ( ). Podcasters and highlight reels emphasized the split between Young’s ball‑striking (ranked among the most accurate in the field) and a putting phase that cost key strokes late in the final round (media) (youtube.com).
Cameron Young’s week at Augusta turned on a familiar split: elite driving put him in the fight, and missed putts kept him from finishing the charge. (pgatour.com) Young shot 7-under 65 on Saturday, making up eight shots on Rory McIlroy and moving into a tie for the lead at 11 under entering the final round of the 2026 Masters. He did it with eight birdies and one bogey, his best score in 15 rounds at Augusta National. (pgatour.com; golfdigest.com) The numbers behind that move were blunt. Young hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation on Saturday, and ESPN’s tournament stats listed him at 83.9 percent driving accuracy for the week, with a tie for third at 10 under after a closing 73 on Sunday. (golfdigest.com; espn.com) Sunday never gave him the same return on the greens. PGA Tour live updates noted that his birdie putt at the par-3 16th lippped out at 6:32 p.m., leaving him unable to join Scottie Scheffler at 11 under during the late stretch. (pgatour.com) That miss mattered because Young had spent the previous 54 holes playing his way from an opening 73 into the final group. Golf Digest reported that after a four-over start through his first seven holes on Thursday, he answered with rounds of 67 and 65 to put himself alongside McIlroy on Saturday night. (golfdigest.com) The run also fit the season he brought to Augusta. PGA Tour and Golf Digest both framed the Masters as his first major test after winning The Players Championship in March, with Young saying his goal was to be “ready and comfortable” for a late Sunday tee time at Augusta. (pgatour.com; golfdigest.com) He was ready enough tee to green to stay in the frame until the back nine on April 12. He finished tied for third at 10 under, one shot behind Scheffler and two behind McIlroy, close enough that one putt on 16 felt larger than its single stroke. (pgatour.com; espn.com) So the turning point was not one swing but two different games. Young drove it well enough to lead the Masters after 54 holes, then putted just poorly enough on Sunday to leave Augusta with another close call instead of a green jacket. (pgatour.com; pgatour.com)
