Cameron Young currently leads the Wyndham Championship, but he says his focus is on something else.
The Wyndham Championship is the final event of the PGA Tour, and the last opportunity for players to secure their tour cards for next season, make the FedEx Cup Playoffs or rise up the FedEx Cup standings.
Young is leading the tournament, and is in a strong position to claim his first win on the PGA Tour. But he’s not overly concerned about that. His mind is on something else.
Cameron Young said he is focusing on making the Ryder Cup team while leading the Wyndham Championship
Young, on fire at the Wyndham to shoot 14 birdies in his last 25 holes, said he is more worried about making the Ryder Cup team in September over winning his first PGA Tour event.
He has never achieved either, but he told reporters that playing in New York to avenge Team USA’s embarrassing loss to Europe last Ryder Cup is his priority.
He told reporters, “I’m really just trying to build on what I’ve done throughout the course of the year. Nothing really changes. It’s nice to see the scores add up to what they have over the first holes of the tournament, but like you said, lots to play.
“I’m just trying to look at it in terms of lots of opportunities out there. I would obviously love to win a golf tournament, it would do a lot for me kind of toward the end of the season here.
“But for me it’s not necessarily about this week. I’ve got a goal. In the middle of September I’d like to be in New York playing on that Ryder Cup team. I’ve kind of tried to look at that. If I can achieve that, I can achieve a lot of things over these next four weeks.
“So that’s kind of, I’m trying to keep that in mind rather than the little things along the way. Not that winning a tournament here would be little, but I think for me kind of looking off in the distance in that way I think will help me just keep trying to trust what I’m doing and build some confidence along the way.“
Captain Keegan Bradley faces some difficult decision over the next month as he picks his U.S. Ryder Cup team. Perhaps a surprise addition such as Young could be the spark this team needs in New York.
BMW Championship is key to Young’s Ryder Cup hopes
Young is not among the top-ranked American golfers in the Ryder Cup standings. In fact, he is barely in the top 20 currently. But it’s up to Bradley who goes to New York, and good form on the back end of the year could get Young there.
Beyond world number one Scottie Scheffler, and LIV Golf and YouTube star Bryson DeChambeau, there are no sure bets for anyone to make the team. Bradley said you can’t expect to make the Ryder Cup if you are outside the top six in the standings.
The BMW Championship, where Xander Schauffele excels every year, is the key for Young. It’s one of the season’s most valuable events for points scoring, and a strong performance there will be critical.
If he wins the Wyndham and is in contention at the BMW Championship, Young can make a real argument to Bradley that he should be on the team.