Cameron Young Posts 64 to Set Open Clubhouse Target at 9 Under

Q: With golf's biggest names chasing, can leader Sam Burns survive the final holes to win his first major?

No. Burns did not hold on over the closing holes and was unable to win his first major at Royal Birkdale. He began Sunday in a strong position, two shots clear at 10 under after a historic 62-65 stretch, and at one stage reached 11 under. But the final round turned volatile. Burns gave shots back on the front nine, and the lead changed hands repeatedly as Cameron Young surged with a closing 64 to post the clubhouse target at nine under, while Ryan Fox also moved to nine under. That left Burns chasing rather than protecting a lead late in the round. By the closing stretch he had slipped to eight under, one behind the co-leaders. He still had a chance to force extra holes, but his birdie opportunity at the 18th came up short, leaving him one back. The result fits a difficult pattern for Burns in majors. He had already been close this season, finishing runner-up at the U.S. Open, and he also let a 54-hole lead get away in a previous major. Even so, his week at The Open reinforced that he is now a consistent major contender, with top results at the Masters, U.S. Open and Royal Birkdale. The pressure was intense because the chase included elite names such as Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Tommy Fleetwood. Scheffler made a run before finishing at seven under, while Young’s 64 proved decisive. Burns had the lead and the form, but not the finish.

Q: As LIV Golf's future collapses, could a victory at The Open completely redefine Bryson DeChambeau's controversial career?

Yes. If Bryson DeChambeau were to win The Open at Royal Birkdale, it would likely become the defining pivot point of his career. The timing matters. LIV Golf is facing an existential crisis after the Saudi Public Investment Fund decided to end funding after the 2026 season, leaving players such as DeChambeau tied to a league whose future is uncertain. In that context, an Open victory would detach his reputation from LIV’s instability and re-anchor it in golf’s oldest and most prestigious championship. It would also shift the story from controversy to achievement. DeChambeau’s career has been shaped by his LIV defection, legal and political fallout around the split in men’s golf, and recurring disputes over rules and image. At Birkdale, he was already part of the drama after a two-shot penalty on Friday for improving his backswing area. Winning despite that would turn a week of scrutiny into one of resilience. The sporting case is strong as well. DeChambeau missed the cut at both the Masters and PGA Championship this year, so an Open title would represent a sharp reversal in form on the biggest stage. It would also add another major to his résumé and strengthen his standing beyond any single tour. It would not erase the controversy around his LIV move. But it would materially redefine how his career is judged: less as a symbol of golf’s civil war, more as a multi-major champion who proved he could still win when it mattered most.

Q: After a season of historic consistency, is World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler destined for another major championship heartbreak?

No. Scottie Scheffler’s season points more to sustained contention than to any fixed pattern of major heartbreak, even if The Open ends as another near-miss. At Royal Birkdale, Scheffler finished at seven under after a late charge stalled with a three-putt bogey on the 18th, leaving him two behind Cameron Young’s clubhouse mark of nine under and short of the leaders. That will sting, especially because he briefly got within range on Sunday, but it fits a broader pattern of being in the mix deep into majors rather than falling away. The evidence from 2026 is strong. Scheffler came into The Open with the best average finish in the majors among players who made all three cuts: runner-up at the Masters, tied 14th at the PGA Championship and fourth at the U.S. Open. He has also produced historic week-to-week consistency, including a record birdie rate of 5.06 per round over 32 rounds. That is not the profile of a player unraveling on the biggest stages. The real issue is narrower: putting. At both the PGA and now The Open, his tee-to-green game kept him in contention, but missed chances on the greens cost him. He has shown visible frustration with the putter, and that remains the clearest explanation for these close calls. So if Scheffler leaves Birkdale without the Claret Jug, it is better understood as a frustrating missed opportunity, not destiny. For a player with his consistency and major record, more chances are almost certain to come.

3 articles · Updated · Sky Sports · Jul 19

Cameron Young surged to nine under with a final-round 64 at Royal Birkdale, setting the clubhouse target in the closing stages of the 2026 Open.
That charge put immediate pressure on the leaders still on course, with Sam Burns holding the lead as Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler chased.
Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood both finished at seven under, leaving them two shots behind Young’s mark once their rounds were complete.
Rory McIlroy closed at one under, underscoring how sharply Young’s Sunday round reshaped the leaderboard near the finish.