Who is Cameron Young? World's 38th-ranked golfer, son of club pro in contention at PGA Championship

Cameron Young had never made a cut in a major before the 2022 PGA Championship. Now, he has a chance to win the tournament.

Young enters the final day four shots off Mito Pereira's lead and tied for third place with Matt Fitzpatrick. He may need some help from Pereira to have a chance at the Wanamaker Trophy, but the opportunity still exists after 54 holes. And that will surprise many casual golf fans.

Young isn't among the best-known golfers on the PGA Tour, but the 25-year-old is among the sport's rising stars. And if he can win a major, he could be on the path to making himself a household name.

Here's everything you need to know about Cameron Young, including how his father helped turn him into a high-level golfer.

MORE: Meet Mito Pereira, surprise PGA contender

Who is Cameron Young?

Cameron Young is a 25-year-old PGA Tour golfer who has been a professional since 2019. He played collegiate golf at Wake Forest before cutting his teeth on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Young became a special temporary member of the Korn Ferry Tour during the 2020-21 season. He finished the season 19th in points, which earned him his PGA Tour card for the 2021-22 season.

Young has played 14 PGA Tour events this season to date. He has logged four top-10 finishes, including a tie for second at the Wells Fargo Championship and a tie for second at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Young grew up around golf, and his relationship with his father, PGA professional David Young, has helped to make him one of the game's best young golfers.

MORE: Full leaderboard for 2022 PGA Championship

Cameron Young's relationship with his father

David Young is a PGA professional at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club in Scarbrough, N.Y. He helped coach Cameron Young throughout his youth. He recently worked with his son to hone his swing and turn his driver into a weapon.

The duo have a strong relationship in general — "It just works," David Young says. That helps when it comes time to break down Cameron's performance; father is receptive to what son needs to improve his game.

"If he plays well, there is not much to talk about," David Young told PGA.com of how he breaks down his son's performance. "If he plays OK, we may chat about a few things. If he does not play how he wants to, that’s when I just let him vent for a while."

The elder Young was confident that his son would perform well at Southern Hills Country Club because Cameron "plays well on a big golf course." So far, that has proven true. He shot a 1-over-par 71 in the first round carding back-to-back 3-under 67s to enter the final day of competition at 5 under.

What does David Young think his son needs to do to finish strong?

"It’s going to be all about hitting greens in regulation," he said. "That is where the scoring will happen at Southern Hills."

Young has done well in that category so far, hitting 63 percent of his greens in regulation. That ranks tied for 19th among the field.

What is Cameron Young's Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR)?

Cameron Young entered the week as the 38th-ranked golfer in the world. He closed 2021 as the 134th-ranked golfer in the world, so he has rapidly improved his standing in 2022.

Young had participated in eight events in 2022 prior to the PGA Championship. He had four top-six finishes in those events and missed the cut just once.

Cameron Young major history

Young had participated in just three majors before the 2022 PGA Championship. He didn't make the cut in any of them.

Young's first major was the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach after winning a sectional qualifier. He had to wait two years to play in another major, once again playing in the U.S. Open in 2021.

Young debuted at the Masters in 2022 and did the same at the PGA Championship. Below are his results at each major to date.

Tournament Finish (score to par) 2019 U.S. Open Missed Cut (9 over) 2021 U.S. Open Missed Cut (8 over) 2022 Masters Missed Cut (10 over) 2022 PGA Championship TBD

He missed the cut at the 2019 U.S. Open after shooting 9 over for the first two rounds. He appeared in the U.S. Open again in 2021 and once again missed the cut, shooting 8 over par.

In 2022, Young appeared in the Masters for the first time. He shot 77 in each of his two rounds at Augusta for a 10-over 36-hole score.