THE 150TH OPEN

July 15, 2022

Cameron Young

Mixed Zone

Q. Cameron, assess your round the way you played?

CAMERON YOUNG: I didn't putt as well today. I think for the most part I managed it pretty well. I made a couple of greedy mistakes on 2 and on 15 were my only bogeys. Those I think were both very avoidable. I didn't quite pick the right shots. One of them I just chunked, and one of them I picked the wrong shot, which I think I could have avoided.

But mostly pretty good. I can't complain.

Q. The weather in particular, you seemed to handle the change in wind well?

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, it made really the whole back nine played very, very different. It's still a place you expect to be uncomfortable and expect to win. So those holes being all off the left instead of off the right was definitely weird. But I think you kind of have to come prepared for some weird stuff out here.

Q. Obviously thrilled to be up there and challenging going into the weekend. I know it's still early days, but you're up there?

CAMERON YOUNG: I'm in second, rather be in second than tenth. You're going to have to play some good golf over the weekend regardless. So obviously nice to start up there, at least.

Q. How special would it be, the 150th as well, obviously looking to make the weekend but obviously more than that now?

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, I mean it's obviously a special place for golfers, especially competitive golfers playing one of our greatest championships on one of our oldest, greatest golf courses is a lot of fun. But I'll be head down, trying to just do my job the next few days.

Q. After yesterday's incredible round, got off to a slow start today. Is this going to be the opposite of day one?

CAMERON YOUNG: Not really. I think I did some very -- if I was really confused after four holes and I was hitting it all over the place, I maybe would have thought something like that. But I wasn't really confused.

I knew I made a couple of bad swings and I knew why. And it felt like I was still in control of what's going on. I just hadn't kind of put it together yet.

Q. What's been the best part of your game so far these last few weeks?

CAMERON YOUNG: I think my course management has been very good and I think my wedge play has been very good.

Q. (No microphone.)

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, kind of everything, 100 to 100 yards and in, I feel like I've done pretty well with the short stuff.

Q. The BMW Championship was a special event for you because of your family and your dad. What makes this one special, and is your family here with you?

CAMERON YOUNG: My mom and dad are here. So it's always fun having them out. I mean, I think just being the home of golf and being The Open Championship is plenty to make something special. Just having been around golf my whole life it's something I watched as a kid, something I grew you wanting to play in at a place that is special for a lot of reasons.

Q. I'm curious about your conversations with your dad about St Andrews and how to play it and what to do?

CAMERON YOUNG: I mean, he walked with us for the practise rounds and kind of -- he's my coach. He's always watching and listening to what I say and what I feel and how obviously the swing looks.

But, yeah, between him and my caddie and myself, we kind of collectively just tried to learn as much as we could about the golf course and tried to put together a plan, kind of the three of us, for what we thought was the best.

Q. I don't know if it's trade secrets but anything you worked together that especially worked this week?

CAMERON YOUNG: I don't think it's any secret. Probably nothing anybody out here doesn't know. I've just tried to pick some smart shots off the tee. Tried to keep it out of the bunkers. That's about it.

Q. Your distance you're ranked -- I know you're a long hitter, but you're a bit down in terms of the rest of the field in distance. I wonder if that's conscious, you're laying back more?

CAMERON YOUNG: I heeled a few drivers today for sure. No, I have no idea why that would be, to be honest.

Q. Are you someone who goes to bed tonight and goes, geez, I'm in second place here in the championship?

CAMERON YOUNG: No, I won't think about it once I leave.

Q. You just have the same --

CAMERON YOUNG: I could go turn on the TV and watch it and be content just watching the golf and wouldn't really -- obviously you see my name up there, but it wouldn't really -- I wouldn't think about it that much, I don't think.

Q. Tiger, were you sad to see him play his last round at St Andrews?

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, honestly I don't even really know how to answer that question. He's obviously a huge figure in the game of golf, someone whose golf game I respect enormously. And I mean it's been incredible to watch him recover from multiple different things and play golf at a high level.

So I know there's tons of people that came out to support him which is great for the game of golf. Just as he's been his whole career. Yeah, I mean, I suppose sad not to have him around for the weekend, but I'm sure we'll see plenty of him moving forward.

Q. Anything you need to work on in your game at the moment?

CAMERON YOUNG: Not much. Just really trying to keep things simple. Played it on the ground for the most part. Seems to be the best way to go around here.