Cameron Young’s Front Nine Scorecard at the WGC-Match Play Was Absurd

Young made nine straight 3’s during his opening stretch at Austin Country Club.

Cameron Young’s front nine at the WGC Dell Match Play was a sight to be seen. The 25-year-old made nine consecutive 3s on Austin Country Club’s front nine to go 5 up over PGA Tour rookie Davis Thompson. 

The Wake Forest product made his first 4 of the day on the 10th hole, ending the mind-boggling string of 3s on his scorecard.  

Six of Young’s 3s were birdies, one was an eagle on the 591-yard par-5 6th hole, and two were pars. Young might have come out of the gates hot, but Thompson made a push on the back nine, diminishing his lead to just 2 up after the 15th hole. Young fired off another birdie at the 16th, however, and closed out the match, winning 3 and 2. 

Match play scorecards can be deceiving, as players are often given putts if their opponent is out of the hole. In other words, players aren’t forced to finish out on every green. According to Young, only one of his front nine putts for 3 was conceded—his 13-foot birdie putt on the first hole (Thompson was in for bogey). Even so, the former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year told Golf Channel that he hit the putt for practice anyway and sunk it.

3's company for Cameron Young on his first nine holes @DellMatchPlay:

3 (birdie)
3 (birdie)
3 (birdie)
3 (par)
3 (birdie)
3 (eagle)
3 (par)
3 (birdie)
3 (birdie) pic.twitter.com/Amm3xJYC7z

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 22, 2023

Young shot 27 on the front nine. 

“I don't think I could have done a whole lot better on that front nine. I really didn't miss one," he said. 

Young’s stellar opening stretch comes with a new caddie on the bag. Young just partnered up with veteran Tour looper, Paul Tesori. Earlier this week, Tesori’s former boss, Webb Simpson, released a heartfelt statement on social media to announce the pair’s split. 

Simpson, another Wake Forest alum, has effectively taken Young under his wing as he navigates his young PGA Tour career, so the transition has been smooth so far. 

“We've been together enough to just have whatever random conversations out there,” Young said. “It's just really easy personality-wise, and I think just generally hanging out together has made it a lot easier knowing that we've played a million holes together, even if he wasn't carrying my own bag.”

Young will take on Corey Conners on Thursday in his second match of the group stage.