Cameron Young of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during a practice round prior to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 12, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Getty Images A year ago, Cameron Young was largely an afterthought among golf’s elite.
Now, he might be the trendiest pick to win this weekend’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
In last year’s tournament, Young finished a ho-hum T-47 amid one of the most frustrating stretches of his career.
Oddsmakers took notice, with BetMGM Sportsbook pegging him as an 80/1 long shot to win the 2026 PGA Championship when the market opened.
But that’s when Young began to turn things around.
Through the end of last year, Young posted seven top-10 finishes, highlighted by a win at the Wyndham Championship and a T-4 finish at the U.S. Open.
Young has taken it to another level this season, winning THE PLAYERS Championship and the Cadillac Championship while adding a T-3 finish at the Masters and making the cut in all 10 of his starts.
He also shone in a losing effort for the United States in the Ryder Cup, going 3-1-0 in four matches and looking like one of the few Americans comfortable under that kind of pressure.
Cameron Young of the United States watches his shot from the 15th tee during a practice round prior to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 11, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Getty Images Young is now down to 12/1 to win the PGA Championship — a stunning shift for the 29-year-old Westchester native.
He trails only Scottie Scheffler (+450) and Rory McIlroy (+900) at BetMGM.
Golf bettors have unsurprisingly flocked to him as well.
Young has attracted the second-most money wagered and second-most tickets at BetMGM, trailing only Scheffler, the reigning PGA champion, who has held favorite status for the better part of a year.
The sudden rise has transformed Young from a forgotten long shot into one of the most heavily backed golfers in the field — and bettors are clearly betting his breakout is just getting started.
Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
