SAN DIEGO — More often than not, dreams take longer to materialize than we’d like them to.
We want immediate returns on our dreams, but the reality is this: Most of them come through a process.
Cameron Young, a 24-year-old native of Scarborough in Westchester, has wanted to play on the PGA Tour since he was 13. When he graduated from Wake Forest, he wanted to be on the PGA Tour yesterday.
Well, things could get real for Young this week at the U.S. Open, for which he earned a spot through sectional qualifying last week.
He enters his second career U.S. Open having recently won two consecutive Korn Ferry tournaments in which he held or shared the lead in all eight rounds. Based on projections, Young has already earned enough points on that tour to get his PGA Tour card for 2022 (the top 25 advance to the big leagues).
Then there’s this week at Torrey Pines, when an argument can be made that Young is one of the hottest players in the field coming off those two Korn Ferry wins and outclassing the field as the medalist in the sectional qualifier at Century and Old Oaks.
Scott McKean, Young’s caddie and college friend from Wake Forest, called Young’s ball striking “elite,” adding, “I would argue some of the best in the world, especially with the driver.”
McKean said when Young is driving it well, ball-striking his irons and putting well, “it’s just an unbelievable eruption of golf talent.”
Two years ago, Young, after earning a U.S. Open spot via sectionals, was so awestruck when he got to the practice range at Pebble Beach he was too timid to take the vacant spot next to Tiger Woods because he felt he wasn’t worthy.
Young was a 22-year-old amateur fresh out of college back then.
This week, he’s a more mature, more polished professional, recently married and he feels perfectly worthy now.
“Our intentions are completely different than they were two years ago.” Young told The Post. “I was there to experience it then. Now I’m here to play. It’s just a completely different feeling.”
Young is about to embark on the sweetest spot of his young career, with a PGA Tour spot looming in ’22 and possibly sooner if he wins one more Korn Ferry Tour event this year (three Korn Ferry wins earns a player an automatic berth onto the PGA Tour) or if he should strike lightning this week at Torrey Pines and win.
“It’s kind of a carrot dangling right in front of you,” Young said. “One good week can change your entire career. I’d love for it to be this week, but if it’s not here this week, it’ll be next week or next month or six months from now.”
Asked if he’s allowed his mind to wander to the PGA Tour, Young said, “I don’t know how you couldn’t think about it. I want to play on the PGA Tour, and if I can I want to do it next week. Our goal to start the year was to get there as soon as possible and the goal has remained the same. Now it’s closer, more within reach.
“With two wins, I’m getting close to the points threshold. So, I’ve just put myself in position to do it sooner than I thought was possible a few months ago.”
Cameron’s father and coach, David Young, the head pro at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Briarcliff Manor, has known his son has had it in him, but he also knows there are no guarantees.
“We always thought if he was able to play good golf for him that he’d be able to win on that tour [Korn Ferry],” David Young said. “We were just waiting to see if we were right, and it looks like we were.”
Sure, Cameron Young has been afforded some privileges many players are not. But that guarantees nothing for anyone.
“Guys that get to this level, there’s something inside of them that you can’t teach,” David Young said. “A grit or whatever it is to be able to play your best when it counts and make your good golf pay off. That’s something he’s always had. He’s always been tough in big situations.’’
Cameron Young has never faced a bigger situation than the one that sits before him this week at Torrey Pines.
So why not dream big?