skip to main content

Cameron Young snatches dramatic Players Championship triumph

Cameron Young of the United States reacts to victory on the 18th green during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 at THE PLAYERS Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass on March 15, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Cameron Young seals victory on the 18th green

American Cameron Young clinched his second PGA Tour title and the biggest win of his career with a sensational one-shot victory at the Players Championship on Sunday ⁠after a drama-laden afternoon at TPC Sawgrass.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

One stroke behind England's Matt Fitzpatrick with two holes to play, Young drew level with a birdie at the par-three 17th after hitting a brilliant tee shot to nine and a half feet and then safely parred the last to card a four-under-par 68.

That left him at 13-under in the PGA Tour's flagship event and one ahead of Fitzpatrick, who also closed with a 68 after his tee shot ‌at the 18th wound up ⁠on pine straw in the treeline to the right of the fairway and led to a bogey five.

Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, who had led the tournament by three shots overnight, was two ahead with eight holes to play on Sunday before his title bid unraveled with a bogey at the ‌par-five 11th and a double-bogey at the par-four 12th.

He had to settle for a share of fifth place at ⁠nine-under after returning a 76.

Two-time major champion Xander Schauffele closed with ‌a 69 to claim third place at 11-under, a stroke in ⁠front of ‌Scotland's world No 8 Robert MacIntyre, who also signed off with a 69.

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, the Players champion in 2023 and 2024, ended his week at TPC Sawgrass with a one-under ⁠71 to finish in a tie for 22nd at five-under.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland prepares to play a shot from the 17th tee during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship 2026 at THE PLAYERS Stadium course at TPC Sawgrass on March 15, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach

Defending champion Rory McIlroy (above), the world ⁠No 2, was left to reflect on "not the week that I wanted" after he signed off with a 71 and an even-par total, tied for 46th.

McIlroy withdrew from last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational after two rounds due to a back injury and he did not play a single practice round at TPC Sawgrass ‌after only arriving at the venue on the eve of the tournament.

Meanwhile Seamus Power endured a tough finale. A four-over 76 saw the Waterford man slide to eight-over-par.

Read Next