Cameron Young secured his first Players Championship title in 2026, defeating Matt Fitzpatrick by one stroke in a tense final round at TPC Sawgrass. Young overcame nerves on his winning one-foot putt, while Fitzpatrick responded with classy gestures despite fan heckling. Bob MacIntyre finished fourth after a costly mistake on the 16th hole.
Cameron Young, 28, from Scarborough, N.Y., and now living in Jupiter, Fla., claimed victory at the 2026 Players Championship. The win marks his second PGA Tour title, following his 2025 Wyndham Championship triumph. Young earned $4.5 million and exemptions through 2031 on Tour and into majors for three years, entering the top 10 world rankings for the first time and top five overall this season. In the final round, paired with Fitzpatrick, Young hit a record 375-yard drive on the 18th hole, the longest in its recorded history. After Fitzpatrick missed his par putt, Young faced a one-foot putt to win. 'I was really, really good until I had to make the eight-inch putt on the last hole, and I just about fell apart,' Young said in his press conference. 'I couldn’t get my line to point anywhere near the hole, and I went and hit it anyway.' Earlier, on the 17th tee, he credited ideal conditions for navigating the difficult shot amid wind. Fitzpatrick, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, bogeyed the 18th amid 'USA' chants for Young and boos from some fans. He hugged Young immediately after the winning putt and congratulated Young's family, including wife Kelsey, father David—a PGA professional—and mother Barbara. 'I love Cam,' Fitzpatrick said. 'He’s such a nice guy.' He dismissed the heckling as 'child’s play' compared to the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Bob MacIntyre, seeking to join Sandy Lyle as a Scottish Players winner, finished fourth, three strokes back. On the par-5 16th, his 7-wood from 246 yards found rough, leading to a bogey after the ball rolled into the pond. 'It was stressful,' MacIntyre said. Young's swing, analyzed post-win, features key positions like a tight setup and explosive downswing leveraging his athletic build.
