Young’s Clutch Finish, Fitzpatrick’s Near Miss, and Aberg’s Sunday Stumble
In this week’s “The Starter,” PGA professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, gives his thoughts on the week that was in golf for R.org. Cameron Young delivers the shot of his career on the iconic 17th hole to capture THE PLAYERS Championship. Matt Fitzpatrick comes agonizingly close to his first PLAYERS title. And Ludvig Aberg’s three-shot lead evaporates on a brutal back nine at TPC Sawgrass.
Young Conquers Sawgrass with Career-Defining Performance
Cameron Young picked up the biggest title of his career Sunday, hitting a clutch sand wedge to 10 feet on the wind-blown island green at the 17th hole for birdie and winning THE PLAYERS Championship when Matt Fitzpatrick missed an 8-foot par putt on the final hole.
Young played bogey-free on the back nine, where so many hopes faded, and blistered a 375-yard drive – the longest ever on the 18th at TPC Sawgrass – that set up a par and a 4-under 68. He finished at 13-under 275, earning $4.5 million and moving to No. 4 in the world.
It was only his second victory on the PGA TOUR. The 28-year-old tied the tour record with seven runner-up finishes before finally winning late last summer at the Wyndham Championship. But this is the PGA TOUR’s crown jewel, loosely known as the fifth major, and the pressure was intense at the end.
The Island Green Magic
Young became the first PLAYERS Champion to birdie No. 17 in each of the final three rounds. On Sunday, with the wind gusting hard at their backs, he faced a 130-yard shot over the bunker with everything on the line.
“I just so happened to have the best number you could have possibly asked for,” Young said. He used his 57-degree wedge, and the ball caught the ridge and rolled out on the baked green to 10 feet. Fitzpatrick was safe in the middle, 30 feet away. Young rolled in the birdie putt to tie for the lead heading to 18.
The Defining Drive
Standing on the 18th tee tied for the lead, Young had never been in this position before. His only previous win at Wyndham came with a nine-shot lead at the turn.
“My thought process over that ball is, one, making sure that I’m committed to my line, and two, the overarching thought is I’m going to hit the best shot of my life right here,” Young said.
He delivered. The 375-yard bomb – the longest drive on that hole by any player in the ShotLink era – left him just 98 yards to the green. He hit a lob wedge to the back fringe and two-putted for par.
Fitzpatrick went too far right into the pine straw and pitched out just short of the green, then hit a good chip to 8 feet. When Fitzpatrick missed his putt to force a playoff, Young was left with a tap-in par.
The victory was especially meaningful because Young’s family was there to witness it. At Wyndham, his wife and two boys missed one of the only three weeks of the year when he wasn’t on the road with him. Young dedicated the win to his late niece Mia, who passed away in December at age five.
The Mental Shift
Young’s performance was built on a mental adjustment he made after the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. He focused entirely on process and execution rather than outcomes, and it paid off. Young led the field in proximity on approach shots (28 feet, 1 inch) and scrambling (16 of 21). His strokes gained total of 14.661 was the best in the field. He made just five bogeys all week and only one double bogey.
Young credited his Ryder Cup experience at Bethpage Black last fall as crucial preparation for handling Sunday’s pressure. He was the best American player that week in a losing effort.
“It definitely helps,” Young said. “It just provides you some kind of context for how you can perform and how you can think when you feel that way.”
Fitzpatrick’s Agonizing Near Miss
Matt Fitzpatrick came within one putt of forcing a playoff, finishing runner-up at 12-under after closing with 68. The 2022 U.S. Open champion matched the best finish by a player from England at THE PLAYERS and notched his first top-three finish on TOUR since the 2023 BMW Championship.
Fitzpatrick got off to a blazing start, reaching 3-under through four holes. He hit wedge to tap-in range for birdie on the 12th and a tee shot to 4 feet for birdie on the 13th to take the lead. After a three-putt bogey on 14, he regained the lead with a 12-foot birdie on 15.
Standing on the 18th tee tied with Young, Fitzpatrick felt good about his drive, but the ball found the pine straw on the right. He pitched out just short of the green, then hit a good chip to 8 feet. The par putt to force a playoff slid by.
“I felt like I hit a good drive, and once you’re out of position, it’s difficult to make your par,” Fitzpatrick said.
Despite the disappointment, Fitzpatrick sees positive signs in his game. “I think the big thing is I believe in my own ability,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been doing a ton of good work with Mark Blackburn and just really, really seen so many positive signs over the last 12 months.”
Playing with Young made for an enjoyable final round despite the pressure.
“I love Cam. He’s such a nice guy. He’s so laid back; it’s so nice,” Fitzpatrick said.
Aberg’s Lead Evaporates on Brutal Back Nine
Ludvig Aberg, who had a three-shot lead going into the final round, imploded on the back nine with shots into the water on consecutive holes. He shot 40 on the back nine for a 76 and tied for fifth at 9-under.
The 25-year-old Swede was still two shots ahead and in the middle of the fairway on the par-5 11th when he flared a 7-wood out to the right and into the water, leading to bogey. On his next tee shot at the par-3 12th, he pulled his driver badly into the water, hit over the green and took three to get down for double bogey.
“It got away from me quick there,” Aberg said. “Yeah, it was just poor swings.”
Aberg acknowledged that nerves affected his tempo. “I definitely felt a little bit fast at times,” he said. “I would imagine if I look at those swings on sort of 11, 12, they probably were quick swings.”
The collapse put him three behind, and he never recovered. He falls to 1-for-3 when leading or co-leading after 54 holes on TOUR.
Despite the disappointment, Aberg found positives in his week. “Obviously, really disappointed,” he said. “But overall pleased with the week.” He noted this was his second consecutive top-five finish on TOUR following a T3 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Other Notable Performances
Xander Schauffele birdied three of his last four holes to close with a 69 and finish third at 11-under. It was his third top-three finish at THE PLAYERS Championship (T2/2018, T2/2024), matching the most top-three finishes at THE PLAYERS without a win.
After opening 72-72, Robert MacIntyre carded 65-69 on the weekend to finish fourth at 10-under for his second consecutive top-10 finish at THE PLAYERS. First-timer Sudarshan Yellamaraju closed 66-68 on the weekend to finish T5 at 9-under, earning the fourth-best finish by a PGA TOUR rookie at THE PLAYERS.
Making his second start of the 2026 season since returning from back surgery, 2021 PLAYERS Champion Justin Thomas finished T8 at 8-under, earning his first top-10 finish on TOUR since the 2025 TOUR Championship. Two-time PLAYERS Champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler finished T22 at 5-under, recording his 27th consecutive top-25 finish on TOUR.
Looking Ahead
Young’s victory comes at the perfect time as he prepares for the Masters. He earned 750 FedExCup points and moved from No. 12 to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings, his highest rank after any week in his TOUR career. He also earned an exemption on the PGA TOUR through 2031 and three-year exemptions into the Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship.
In four previous appearances at THE PLAYERS Championship, he had finished MC (2022), T51 (2023), T54 (2024), and T61 (2025). This place had his number – until Sunday.
Cameron Young’s victory at THE PLAYERS Championship represents more than just his second PGA TOUR win. It’s validation of his talent, proof that his mental game has caught up to his physical skills, and a statement that he belongs among golf’s elite. With the Masters just weeks away, Young has momentum, confidence, and the memory of hitting the best shot of his life when it mattered most.