Cameron Young was named the 2021-22 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year on Wednesday as the 25-year-old earned a whopping 94% of the vote from other players. Young’s award follows an impressive debut that featured seven top-five finishes, including a pair of near-victories at two majors, as well as strong efforts at the Genesis Invitational and Wells Fargo Championship.
“It’s very special,” said Young Wednesday at the CJ Cup in South Carolina. “I know the namesake Arnold Palmer obviously was a giant in the game of golf, and we have him to thank for a lot of what we do today, what the PGA Tour is. To be related to that in some small way is very cool. I know we had a very strong rookie class and I know it’s voted by my peers, so it’s a huge honor to be thought of in that way, just to kind of finish the year that way.”
Young’s best stuff often came at the biggest events. He finished runner-up to Cam Smith at the Open Championship in July and T3 at the PGA Championship in May, narrowly missing out on a playoff alongside Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris. Throw in big-time performances at a handful of other PGA Tour stops, a 19th-place finish in the FedEx Cup and $6.5 million earned in his first full year on Tour, and it’s clear there was no other choice.
“Congratulations to Cameron Young on being voted PGA Tour Rookie of the Year by his peers,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in a statement. “Cameron’s career has seen a remarkable rise over the last several years, and he quickly became a favorite among fans last season with the style in which he attacks the golf course. And, of course, given Cameron’s Wake Forest ties, receiving the Arnold Palmer Award as PGA Tour Rookie of the Year will certainly hold a special significance for him.”
The CJ Cup marks Young’s second event of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season, and he’ll play alongside several other stars, including 2021-22 PGA Tour Player of the Year, Scottie Scheffler. Young, who was part of the 2022 United States Presidents Cup team, finished T53 at last week’s Zozo Championship to start his 2022-23 PGA Tour season.
Despite all of Young’s success last season, however, he still came up short of what he coveted most: a Tour victory.
“Obviously had my fair share of chances, and I would hope one of them’s coming at some point,” said Young. “Yeah, it would be great just to finish out the year on a high note. And anytime you win out here — well, I don’t know, but supposedly it’s very special. Yeah, it would be a great place to do it, for sure.”