​Cameron Young opened the Open Championship with a far stronger start than many anticipated, matching the high-flying form he has shown throughout 2026. After a season that has already included wins at The Players and the Cadillac Championship, the American’s power-hitting style raised questions about how well it would translate to the UK links at Royal Birkdale. Yet he responded by shooting a 67 in the opening round, closing within two of the lead in windswept afternoon conditions and positioning himself superbly for the rest of the championship.
That early momentum is especially welcome for Young, who has been dealing with a wrist issue in recent months. He provided an update after his round, and photographers had previously captured him wearing tape on his wrist in April, a period that coincided with a dip in form. Asked at The Open about the injury, he indicated it hasn’t been a concern on the course.
When pressed on his health over the past few months, Young replied that he’s been largely healthy aside from “random colds and stuff.” Reporters later specifically inquired about the wrist, and he reassured, “Wrist is fine. It hardly nags me these days. It’s just there and doesn’t affect my golf. Yeah, anyway, I’m all right. I’ve had a few colds.”
Judging by his solid opening round, Young appears fully healthy and ready to contend for the Claret Jug as the tournament unfolds. He began the season in red-hot form, capturing The Players and holding a final-group position with Rory McIlroy at The Masters. However, since the PGA Championship, he has not finished in the top 20 in any event.
Young acknowledged the challenge of reconciling lofty expectations with his recent results, saying, “Yeah, it’s hard. I feel like I’m inclined toward frustration generally when I don’t perform really well. So, yeah, it does just come and go. It feels so easy. It feels like you wake up 2-under every day for a little while, and then for a little while it can go the other way. Really, this week’s a nice reset. You never know what you’re going to get condition-wise. It’s a totally different style of golf. You’re hitting different shots. It’s a really nice chance to take things as they come and see — each shot is so different out here. You have to really just take each one as it comes. There’s nothing you can do. You can end up in some strange spots.”
Despite not sealing the win at The Masters, where McIlroy edged him in the closing strokes, Young seemed to view those moments as valuable learning experiences. Yet he’s still searching for concrete takeaways from Augusta. He reflected on his experience in final groups, noting, “I’ve been in final groups before. I played with Rory before, not obviously at the Masters, but if you’re doing things well, you’re trying to improve.” As he continues this Open journey, the signs from his opening round suggest he is poised to capitalize on favorable conditions and show that his early-season form can translate to major championship success.