Editor’s note: When he’s not writing Tour Rundown or other pieces for GolfWRX.com, Ronald Montesano can be found in a high school Spanish classroom or coaching his school’s two (girls and boys) golf teams. Since the early 2010s, his teams have travelled to the New York State championships at James Baird State Park in Poughkeepsie. It was there that he first laid eyes on a young Cameron Young. In 2013, one of Coach Montesano’s top players played with Cameron in the featured foursome. From the moment that Cameron Young committed to Wake Forest University, Coach Montesano had yet another connection with the young man from the Hudson River valley. As the Team USA side for the 2025 Ryder Cup began to take form, so too did this piece on young Cameron Young.

Cameron Young (middle, holding trophy) at NYS HS Federation Championship, Bethpage Black course Photo courtesy of David Young

As a coach, I remember the day quite well. One of my golfers was paired with Cameron Young. We stood on the driving range, warming up, when a black SUV with dark windows rolled up. I continue to coach, until the window rolled down and the fellow asked, “These your players, coach?” I nodded, and he introduced himself. “I’m Jerry Haas, coach at Wake Forest University.” I shook his hand and replied, “Nice to see you, Coach. I’m Ronald Montesano, and I used to interview you and write about you for the Old Gold and Black at Wake.” A big smile lit up his face, he hopped out of the car, and we embraced.

At that moment, my golfers and my assistant looked over and thought that Earth’s rotation had reversed. “Coach knows people?” I introduced each of them to Coach Haas, and he greeted them warmly, with encouragement. At this point, the focus of the story shifts away from us and onto the fellow that matters most: Cameron Young. He went on to win that day and qualify for his third consecutive New York State Federation championship. He would qualify for a fourth the next year.

The state federation championship is played each June at Bethpage Black. Cameron Young, it seems, was born to play Bethpage Black with success. The two of them fit each other. As the upcoming Ryder Cup, it seemed that team USA might have a special weapon, if only he could qualify for the home side. Thanks to a win at Greensboro last month and three excellent finishes in the FedEx Cup playoffs, Cameron Young was selected as a captain’s pick by Keegan Bradley. All the square pegs had found the square holes.

Much like Young Sheldon Cooper, Young Cameron Young had an affinity for his life’s calling at an early age. He was surrounded by support, nurtured and encouraged from his first days on the practice range and course. The Cameron Young that we see at Bethpage in a few weeks will sport a beard and moustache, be the proud father of three children, and a proud husband of a lovely wife. If we look closely, we might see remnants of the young Cameron Young, who traversed the same fairways with a reduced stride over a decade ago.

Three important persons helped us to shape an image of Young Cameron Young, and we are grateful to them for their steel-trap minds and profound recollections.

DAVID YOUNG: HEAD PRO EMERITUS, SLEEPY HOLLOW, AND CAMERON’S FATHER

RM: What is the first golf memory you have with him?

DY: Taking him out to the range in the evenings at Hudson National when he was 3 or 4 years old. He would hit balls until his hands were sore. 

RM: What do you think was the most important lesson he learned about golf and competitive golf growing up?

DY: He learned not to get too caught up in the highs and lows and to focus on continual long-term improvement. 

RM: Do you remember a moment that was a breakthrough for him, at any age?

DY: His first full year on the Korn Ferry Tour, he started the season with about a 60th-place finish and then missed four cuts in a row. He followed those four missed cuts with back-to-back wins, leading after every round. He learned that he could bounce back and play some of his best golf at any time. 

RM: What was playing in high school golf like for him? How was it being a part of a team?

DY: High school golf was a lot of fun for him. He had friends on the team and enjoyed playing and practicing with them. They played a lot of their home matches at Winged Foot, which was pretty special. I think Cameron lost only one match in his four years on the team.

KEVIN GILLIGAN: CAMERON’S GOLF COACH AT FORDHAM PREP, BRONX, NY

RM: From your perspective, what did high school golf mean to Cameron Young? Thinking about the team atmosphere.

KG: I think some things Cameron enjoyed about being a member of the golf team at Fordham Prep were the friendships, the competition, and the yearly trips we took during the Easter Break. Cameron arrived at school already an accomplished golfer, having won the Westchester Amateur during the summer after 8th grade, so we focused on fun and being a teenager. Cameron told me he was surprised at the quality of golf at Fordham Prep, which I think served his development well. We had great fun on the three spring break trips we took to Myrtle Beach and twice to Florida. A benefactor friend of mine, Tom Moore, paid for a dozen golfers to travel and play every year to get ready for the season. We played challenging courses and made wonderful memories during those trips.

RM: He won the state federation title as a 9th grader, and was 2nd in 10th grade. Do you recall how he did during 11th and 12th grades? I seem to feel he had a mission trip in 11th grade and could not play.

KG: After winning the NYS Catholic High School Athletic Association title at James Baird State Park (aka Baby Bethpage), Cameron won the state federation title as a 9th grader and was 2nd in 10th grade. Cameron was on a trip to Quito, Ecuador, fulfilling his service requirement for school during the Federation tournament as an 11th grader, and I believe he was traveling out of the country for golf during the tournament when he was a 12th grader.

RM: What format did you play? Was it match or medal? Was it head-to-head? Total score or match play points to determine team winner? I wonder how he felt, knowing that he was one of six or seven.

KG: We played match play for Catholic league play, and medal play when we played independent schools. Match play was five players, and medal play was 7 or 8. Cameron won the number one spot as a freshman during inter-squad qualifying rounds and never surrendered it for four years.

RM: How do you feel high school golf contributed to his development as a competitive golfer?

KG: I think Cameron encountered great competition both from his teammates and from golfers from the schools we played.

RM: Is there anything I haven’t asked that I should have? 

KG: I really can’t think of anything else except to say how happy I am for Cameron and his family. I finally got to see him play in person on the PGA Tour at the BMW Championship at Caves Valley GC in August of this year.

JERRY HAAS: CAMERON’S GOLF COACH AT WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

RM: When did you first set eyes on Cameron Young?

JH: I was at the USGA national junior amateur. I was there to recruit Will Zalatoris, and I saw a kid who was taking unbelievable cuts. His hat flew off each time he took a rip at it. Who is this? I asked myself. His mother, Barb, was a good player, and his father was a teaching professional and a competitive professional golfer. I later watched him play in New York and then watched his dad play. David and I competed in the national senior club pro championship. We laughed, reaching our drives, knowing that Cameron would be 100 yards beyond us. Cameron played at Sleepy Hollow and other clubs and courses, so he learned both power and finesse.

RM: How did you learn of his university decision?

JH: Watching Cheaper By The Dozen and the phone rang. It was Cameron, and he said that he wanted to come to Wake Forest. I held the phone away from my mouth and whisper-yelled to my wife that Cameron Young wanted to come to Wake Forest, and I heard him laugh in the background.

RM: How do you summarize Cameron’s time at Wake Forest?

JH: I called it bookends. He won twice as a freshman and three times as a senior at Wake Forest. He arrived with nine things listed to change in his swing from day one. I called his father, David Young, who said, “That’s why I sent him to you.” Cameron can move it, but he also has plenty of finesse. Even if he didn’t score well, he gave it a run. Very aggressive player, but also strategic. Cameron is not a perfectionist, but he is very precise, and he does expect a perfect shot.

RM: Fast forward to 2025. What can you share?

JH: I wrote Cameron a letter six months ago. I said: You have all this good stuff going on. You are a father, a husband, and a successful golf tournament player. There is no reason for you to do anything other than get better at your game. 

Cameron Young, 2017 NYS Open championship playoff winner. Photo courtesy of David Young