2022 RBC Heritage scores: Rookie Cameron Young plays like a veteran with 63 in Round 1 to take a two-shot lead

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (AP) – Cameron Young showed it doesn’t always take years of practice to score low at Harbor Town Golf Links, shooting 8 under 63 on Thursday to lead the first round in the RBC Heritage his debut.

The PGA Tour’s 24-year-old rookie had eight birdies in a no-magic round, his first in the 60s in 11 rounds, then a 65th finish at the Honda Classic more than six weeks ago.

Young had two shots against Joaquin Niemann of Chile and three against seven others, including defending FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, Ireland’s Shane Lowry – who finished third at the tournament. masters last week – and Canada’s Corey Conners – who finished sixth at Augusta National.

Mito Pereira, also of Chile, RBC Heritage winner Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, Canada’s Adam Svensson and Austria’s Sepp Straka also shot 66. There are 10 players aged 67, including 48-year-old defending champion Stewart Cink.

Young had only heard of the dangers of the Port City, with its tight, tree-lined trenches and small lawns demanding precision. However, the former Wake Forest player from New York quickly started the arrangement with 5 birdies in the front 9.

Young ended his first Harbor tour with his iconic 18th hole birdshot – the hole with a red and white striped lighthouse in the background – with an 8-foot slam to end his round. the lowest of his career in his young PGA. Tourism career.

“You have to really pick the spots where you think you can be a little aggressive and the places where you can’t,” Young says.

A bit of advice: Stay positive, especially with a loaded RBC Legacy field to pursue. The tournament featured five of the top 10 players in the world, including the Masters’ third place winner Cameron Smith and Collin Morikawa, who finished fifth at Augusta National.

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler does not compete in RBC Heritage.

Niemann started slowly with backstrokes on the third and fourth holes. He then hit seven of the last 14 holes to get out of the third-place logjam.

Lowry, the 2019 British Open champion, said he couldn’t believe how quickly the round came after the pressure cooker at Augusta National. However, he continued his round with three straight birdies on holes 16, 17 and 18 along Calibogue Sound. He added two more birdies to his bogey-free round.

“It feels almost like a semi-annual break and you just have to go and play some golf,” said Lowry, who has finished in the top 10 twice here in four previous outings.

Conners made it past the seventh hole par-3. He hit an iron 7 into the front of the green, where it jumped twice and rolled into the cup. Conners couldn’t see it fall from the tee, but knew from the reaction on the green.

“A bunch of people had their hands up around the green area, so I think it’s in,” he said.

Morikawa, who finished second in the world, opened with a 70. Smith, whose magic triple on the 12th hole at Augusta ended his Masters chase, shot a 73.

Webb Simpson, the 2020 winner, was too late 3 in his round when he returned to five birdies in a row (Numbers 14-18) on a tough nine back with a score of 69.

Morgan Hoffmann plays his first round of the PGA Tour since October 2019 after taking a break from playing due to muscular dystrophy. Hoffman shot an enjoyable, easy, even 71-level shot.

“The match didn’t feel as bad as I thought it would, so it was quite interesting,” he said.

All are chasing Young, who has proven that he’s not just a big-eyed rookie, but a player with steady play and nerves.

He had two seconds this season and qualified for the Masters, where he missed his chance after 77 seconds in a row. Young spent the weekend with his family, unpacking from the Master, and planning what’s next.

“Honestly, I wanted to play last weekend,” Young said. “But in terms of this week, (missing the cut) is not the end of the world.”

Especially if he can put a few more 63s. Don’t bet on it, Young said.

“I knew it was going to be really nice,” he said. “But you have good days and bad days and it’s rare that you have four good games in a row. I’m happy that came early and I’m happy to have maintained myself throughout the tournament.”

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