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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Demon Deacons are feeling right at home in Charlotte ...

Young's big season continues after 63

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cameron Young played his college golf in North Carolina, but Quail Hollow has never quite felt like home.

Entering this week, Young had never finished under par in three starts here (two Truist Championships, and the 2025 PGA Championship). He was a combined 8-over in those 12 rounds.

What a difference a week can make. Young now has a chance to claim his third victory of the season – and second in as many weeks – at this gem in his adopted home state. Young flirted with the course record Saturday, shooting 63 to vault into third place at 12-under 201. He’s two shots behind his former Wake Forest teammate, Alex Fitzpatrick, whose own breakout season is continuing.

The highlight was a 7-wood from the fairway bunker on the par-5 seventh hole that Young hit to 28 feet. He then made the putt for eagle. Young was considering laying up, but then his caddie, Kyle Sterbinsky, said, “I've seen you hit this shot a million times on the range; just hit it.”

Young also made a 43-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the par-4 16th hole, the last of three consecutive birdies that vaulted him into contention. A bogey at the last cost Young a spot in Sunday’s final group alongside Fitzpatrick.

In theory, Quail Hollow should be a perfect fit for Young. It’s a big, tough golf course, the type of place that seems built for a player like Young who thrives in major championships. Young is known as one of the game’s pre-eminent ballstrikers, especially off the tee, but it’s his play around the greens that has been the highlight of the week. But he said he’s struggled on the course’s greens in past events here.

Not this week. Young leads the field in Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green and is 12th in Strokes Gained: Putting. His play on and around the greens has accounted for more than 80% of the 10 strokes he’s gained on the field this week.

“I'm golfing very well right now. I'm doing a lot of things really well,” he said. “It's been something different I think kind of each day, and any of the days I put two or more things together I'm shooting some low rounds. I've kept myself in tournaments really, really well.”

A win would continue an incredible run for Young. He’s finished in the top three in all but one of his past five starts.
He’s an early contender for PGA TOUR Player of the Year after winning THE PLAYERS and a Signature Event, last week’s Cadillac Championship. Young is third in the Official World Golf Ranking and the FedExCup. Young also finished third at this year’s Masters after playing alongside Rory McIlroy in the final group at Augusta National.

Playing through

• ⛳ Catch up on Round 3 highlights ...
• 🏌️ There are two PGA TOUR events this week, with the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic taking place in South Carolina. Mark Hubbard, 36, is seeking his first PGA TOUR victory. He holds a one-shot lead over Aaron Rai. Brooks Koepka shot 64 on Saturday to vault into seventh place and 18-year-old Blades Brown is in 12th place as he seeks another high finish this year. Brown, who is 10th on the Korn Ferry Tour’s points list, finished third earlier this year in the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open. Watch highlights from Myrtle Beach here ...
• 🎯 Quail Hollow Club’s par-3 17th is supposed to be among the hardest on TOUR, but there was an ace on that hole for the second consecutive day. Chandler Blanchet did it Friday. On Saturday, Nico Echavarria accomplished the feat. This was Echavarria’s third ace of his PGA TOUR career.

Fitzpatrick keeping the dream going

Alex Fitzpatrick was walking up the 18th fairway Saturday when he turned to his caddie and said he hoped he didn’t wake up from this dream anytime soon.

Two weeks ago, he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside brother Matt. Then he finished ninth at last week’s Cadillac Championship, his first event as a PGA TOUR member. Now he has the opportunity to earn a PGA TOUR title on his own.

Fitzpatrick holds a one-stroke lead over Kristoffer Reitan entering the final round of the Truist Championship. Fitzpatrick, who wasn’t even a member two weeks ago, is currently projected to leap to 10th in the FedExCup. Not bad for a player who was facing the prospect of losing his DP World Tour card last fall. A perspective change has helped Alex Fitzpatrick.

“I feel like over the past six months I've always tried to have the mindset of there is other things in life than golf,” he said Saturday. “You know, I would love to win. I would give a lot to win. Also if winning doesn't happen tomorrow, I would hope it would happen at some point. As long as I can out and enjoy it that's all I can do.”

Fitzpatrick has found a friendly crowd at Quail Hollow thanks to his Wake Forest ties. One of his college teammates was a member at the course, and he played it previously during his student days. Chants of “Go Alex!” were heard on most holes Saturday, even as he played alongside American Justin Thomas, who won a PGA Championship here.

Fitzpatrick was playing well even before he won with Matt in New Orleans. He picked up his first DP World Tour win at the Hero Indian Open in his last start before the Zurich. But he could be forgiven if the shock of becoming a TOUR winner and being thrown into the Signature Events would throw him off guard. He credits brother Matt for easing the transition.

“I think having my brother around has been super helpful,” he said. “I feel like he's been and done everything that I want to do in the game, whether that's Ryder Cup and win majors, so having him being around and me being there for all of that, I felt like I got a really good sense of what it takes and what the atmosphere is like. And even meeting some of the players before I even came out here was I think super helpful in settling in. I think that definitely played a factor today.”

Alex’s iron play also has helped. He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green this week.

Parting shots

• 🔄 Kristoffer Reitan was a last-minute entrant into last week’s Cadillac Championship, getting into the field as an alternate. He made the most of the opportunity, entering the final round in second place. A final-round 73 eventually dropped him into 14th place, but it didn’t keep him from getting into this week’s Truist Championship. His double bogey on the last hole, combined with another player’s bogey, actually got him in the field at Quail Hollow. I’ll let him explain. “On the 18th tee on Sunday last week I was not in the tournament this week,” he said. “Because I made double and one more player bogeyed, Alex Smalley hopped up a couple spots on the leaderboard, which then put him in the Aon Next 10, which then put me in the Aon Swing 5. “So, yeah, it was a little bit mind-blowing. But I'll take it.” He’s making the most of the opportunity again. He’ll once again start Sunday in second place, chasing his first PGA TOUR win.
• 👥 Alex Fitzpatrick was a freshman on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons golf team when Cameron Young was a senior. There was no hazing of the new kid from England, however. “No, nothing like that,” Young said. “He was too good to be doing any of that kind of stuff. He played in our starting lineup right away. I wouldn't have been the ringleader on making him do any of that stuff anyway.” The two Demon Deacons still stay in touch, texting each other after victories. “He kind of really looked after me, him and then there was probably two other seniors,” Fitzpatrick said. “Kyle his caddie, they all looked after me and took me under their wing.” A win Sunday would tie Young with Fitzpatrick’s brother, Matt, for the most wins on TOUR this season. Conquering a place that has consistently befuddled him would show how far his game has come.