Cameron Young (US) carded rounds of 68, 67, 72, and 68 for a 72-hole total of 275, 13 under par, to win the flagship PGA Tour event, The Players Championship, at the iconic TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
The 28-year-old secured his second career PGA Tour victory with a hard-fought, one-shot win over England’s Matt Fitzpatrick.
The total purse for the PGA Tour event at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, wass $25 million, and the champion walked away with $4.5 million. Runner-up Matt Fitzpatrick, earned $2,225,000.
At the start of the final round, Ludvig Aberg (Swe) held a three-shot lead after a sensational second round of nine-under 63, which included two eagles, six birdies, and a single bogey. However, a final-round 76, including doubles on the 11th and 12th holes after two balls in the water, saw Aberg finish tied for fifth at nine under.
Young, who had slipped off the pace following a double bogey on the 18th hole in round three, made his move on Sawgrass’ notoriously difficult par-three 17th. With just two holes remaining, he hit his tee shot onto the island green to 10 feet and rolled in the birdie putt, tying Fitzpatrick at the top heading to the 72nd hole.
On the final hole, Young unleashed a majestic 330-yard tee shot, the longest measured on the 18th hole since ShotLink tracking began in 2003. His second shot found the back of the green. Although he missed his birdie, Fitzpatrick bogeyed after hitting his second into the pine straw and missing an eight-footer, handing Young the championship and a $4.5 million winner’s cheque from the $25 million purse.
“It’s absolutely exhausting,” Young said. “This place has had my number the last few years. I’ve never really had a good finish here. It is incredibly taxing. Every shot all day long, you can get yourself into trouble.
“There are no easy ones. There’s no givens. And you’re going to make mistakes. It’s a great test of will, a test of patience and obviously a test of hitting some good shots. I feel like I did a lot of those things really well this week.”
Fitzpatrick, who also finished with a 68, brushed off the partisan final-day crowd that booed him and chanted “USA” on the 18th tee.
“Listen, the crowd, that was literally child’s play compared to Bethpage,” the Englishman said. “If they think that that was anything, then they need to reassess. Get yourself up to New York. That’s how it is.
“I would hope it’s the exact same – well, it probably wouldn’t be because we’re a little bit more polite in Europe – but I would hope it would be of similar intensity in Europe. It’s funny to me. I find it hilarious.”
World Number One Scottie Scheffler, champion of The Players in 2023 and 2024, finished with a one-under 71 to tie for 22nd at five under, while defending champion Rory McIlroy signed off with a 71 and an even-par total, tied for 46th.
Young earned 80 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, moving him up to fourth in the world.
Source: Khaleej Times