AMERICAN golfer Cameron Young secured his long-awaited first PGA Tour victory with a commanding performance at the Wyndham Championship. Young carded a final-round 68 to finish at 22-under 258, six strokes clear of runner-up Mac Meissner.
The 28-year-old started the day with a five-shot lead and quickly erased an early bogey with five consecutive birdies, including a 26-foot putt at the third hole. Despite late bogeys at 16 and 17, Young sealed the win with a tap-in par at the 18th.
“I’ve been waiting for it for awhile,“ Young said. “I never thought I’d really be that emotional about it, but it’s the end of my fourth season and I’ve had my chances. Never quite like this—and I wasn’t going to let it get away from me today.”
The victory at Sedgefield Country Club held special significance for Young, who played collegiate golf at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. The win also strengthens his case for a Ryder Cup spot, with US captain Keegan Bradley set to finalize his team for September’s showdown against Europe.
Meissner finished second at 16-under 264 after a 66, while Sweden’s Alex Noren and American Mark Hubbard tied for third at 265. Amateur Jackson Koivun shared fifth place with Chris Kirk and England’s Aaron Rai.
The tournament marked the end of the PGA Tour’s regular season, with the top 70 players advancing to the FedEx Cup playoffs. Kirk’s strong finish propelled him from 73rd to 61st in the standings, securing his playoff berth. – AFP