THE 151ST OPEN

July 22, 2023

Cameron Young

Mixed Zone

Q. What worked today? What was the difference?

CAMERON YOUNG: The difference from -- I don't know. I feel like I've played very similarly all week.

My iron play has been great. I've just hit a lot of greens and given myself plenty of chances. Honestly, I've putted really nicely, too. There was a couple short misses in there that are really annoying, but I think the greens are just a little tricky in places.

I feel like I've really had pretty good control of my game on the whole.

Q. I know you've got to do your own thing, but how difficult is it when you've got Harman pushing ahead? You're on the chase; Rahm obviously put a number up earlier today. How difficult is it to stay with your game and just keep grinding?

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, it is difficult in general. I think out here it's in a sense almost easier because you have to be so on top of it on this golf course.

I think it's the kind of place where if you lose sight of where you need to miss or what the correct shot is at any point, it can bite you very quickly. That's almost a blessing, I think, that it's difficult and requires a lot of your attention.

But tomorrow will be just -- obviously Brian looks like he's going to come in five or six ahead of me, and in that case I think you just kind of have to see how the first couple holes play out tomorrow and then you maybe start aiming at things that you might not otherwise.

Tomorrow we're going to plan on the same plan of attack as the last few days and kind of see where we are after a few holes.

Q. How do you tap into last year going into Sunday?

CAMERON YOUNG: I don't know if it's particularly last year. I've been near the lead plenty. It's just a general kind of building of evidence and experience that I can lean on.

Obviously playing links golf I think is different, and I think it's fun. It's not so much leaning on that as much as just I was excited to get over here and play. I really enjoy this kind of golf, and I've had a good time playing this week.

Q. (Indiscernible).

CAMERON YOUNG: Until our last, I think, four holes today, there was still some wind, and the wind is very heavy here, so even a five-, six-, seven mile-an-hour breeze can make a 20-yard difference, especially if you're hitting it up in the air.

But the last four was weird. We were trying to find some wind and it wasn't there. There was a little in our face on 18 which made it play very long. But it's almost strange when it's that calm out there.

Q. How important is it for you to be in the final group right now?

CAMERON YOUNG: I don't think it matters one bit.

Q. You don't care if you're in the second group chasing?

CAMERON YOUNG: It doesn't matter to me.

Q. Can you recall reeling somebody in from when you started the day way behind in your amateur career or...

CAMERON YOUNG: Honestly, no. I probably have somewhere, but I can't remember if I have or not.

Q. Is there a sense of confidence knowing that last year you did go out and shoot 65, that you can do it on this stage?

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, for sure. I think that kind of goes back to my comment before. I've done that a few places, and honestly, I've had a little bit of a rough like couple months. I've made a lot of cuts on the number.

But if you go back and look I've made one or two birdies in the last two or three holes, or at the U.S. Open like three great pars in a row to make the cut on the number.

I feel like mentally being able to do that with the golf that is hanging around the cut line is really something I feel like we've been able to build on as I've started to play some better golf.

But I feel more in control of my game and equally as in control of my mind and kind of that little extra level of focus and intentionality that you have in those situations.

Q. You've had a pretty good three days here. Brian is five ahead of you. Obviously you're not playing with them, but what does that tell you when you look at 12-under right now, as well as you've been playing and you're at 7-under?

CAMERON YOUNG: I'm guessing he's putted pretty well. That's about the totality of my analysis.

Q. Do you know him fairly well?

CAMERON YOUNG: A little bit. He's always nice to me. I don't know him particularly well.

But I've spoken to him here and there.

Q. As a guy who hits it as far as you do, can you appreciate what he does given that he doesn't?

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, for sure. He's a tremendously talented golfer. He's been out here a long time and he's won I don't know how many times. I know last was '17 or something I saw, but I feel like he's not someone to back down.

With the lead he has right now, it's not necessarily going to be up to me tomorrow. It's just really time for me to focus on myself and see where that gets me.