Cameron Young’s Historic 59 at Travelers Championship: An Unexpected Saturday Surge

CROMWELL, Conn.— Cameron Young’s Saturday at the Travelers Championship began like any other. Rising early, he made his way to TPC River Highlands, grabbed a coffee, and met with his physio before heading to the range an hour before his 9:45 a.m. tee time.

What felt like an ordinary morning turned into a career-defining day.

Young’s practice session showed a slight improvement, with fewer chunked shots on the range. Yet, as his day unfolded, it was anything but typical. With two eagles, seven birdies, and zero bogeys, Young shot an 11-under 59—only the 13th sub-60 score in PGA TOUR history and the first since Scottie Scheffler at TPC Boston in the 2020 FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Despite his historic round, Young fell one shot short of the TPC River Highlands course record. Jim Furyk holds the only 58 in PGA TOUR history, achieved during the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship.

Leading up to his extraordinary round, Young had struggled, notching 10 consecutive rounds at par or worse. His last notable finish was T9 at the Masters in April, and even his range session on Saturday didn’t hint at what was to come. But as his round began, things started to click. Shots were landing close to the hole—or sometimes, right into it.

Young’s round included spectacular moments, such as an eagle on the par-4 third hole, where his pitching-wedge approach from 142 yards found the cup. Another eagle came on the par-4 15th, where he drove the green with a 3-iron that left him a four-foot putt.

While Young’s round featured brilliance, it wasn’t without challenges. He hit only six fairways, often attacking the small greens from difficult positions. Despite this, he managed to hit 15 greens in regulation, converting birdies even from the rough. His final hole required a crucial scramble, hitting out of thick rough and managing an up-and-down to save par.

Standing over a 10-foot par putt on the 18th, Young made the shot, securing his place in history. His success on the greens was notable, gaining more than two strokes with a new Scotty Cameron Phantom 5.5 prototype putter, which helped him hole 115 feet of putts.

Young’s round started hot with birdies on the first two holes and an eagle on the third. A birdie on the fourth moved him to 5-under. After a stretch of pars, he added birdies at the 8th and 9th holes, finishing the front nine at 7-under. His back nine began quietly, with three pars, before an eagle on the 15th reignited his charge. Despite a missed birdie on the 16th, he finished strong with a birdie on the 17th, setting up his par-saving putt on the 18th.

Reflecting on his round, Young acknowledged the fortunate bounces and key moments that led to his 59. His shot on the 15th, in particular, was a standout, perfectly executed and lucky enough to set up an easy eagle.

Cameron Young’s remarkable round at the Travelers Championship is a testament to the unpredictability and excitement of golf, proving that sometimes, even a seemingly routine day can lead to extraordinary achievements.