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This time last year, the British Open first-round leader was playing in Springfield

Ryan Mahan
State Journal-Register
Cameron Young waves to the crown after his first round of the British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, Thursday, July 14 2022.

, was in Springfield at the Korn Ferry Tour's Memorial Health Championship at Panther Creek Country Club.

Now, he's after the first round at聽the Old Course at St. Andrews with a first round 8-under 64.聽

Heck, last year, he didn't even make the cut at the .

鈥淚鈥檓 happy I shot 64," Young said,. "I鈥檓 happy that, as far as I know, I鈥檓 still leading The Open Championship, but it鈥檚 not going to change how I feel an hour from now."

Go play:The 9 toughest golf holes in Springfield, assembled into one round

Dr. Erik Constance remembers playing with Young in the pro-am event preceding last year's Memorial Health Championship. Constance, a tee announcer at this year's tournament, paired up with Belleville native and Wake Forest coach Jerry Haas. Haas, a friend of Constance, was Young's coach at Wake Forest.

Cameron Young of the US plays from the 3rd tee during the first round of the British Open golf championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, Thursday, July 14 2022. A year ago, he was on the Korn Ferry Tour and missed the cut at the Memorial Health Championship at Panther Creek Country Club.

"It was interesting last year," Constance told Dave Kane, a media liaison with the Memorial Health Championship. "Nobody聽really knew who Cam was except me. We just bonded.

"I鈥檓 so happy for him. At least until now, he was using same caddie (Scott McKean) he was using last summer. They were great friends."

For the British Open, however, Young made the switch to caddie聽Chad Reynolds.聽

Constance said and his third-place finish at the PGA Championship in May proves that Springfield's Korn Ferry stop is worth checking out.聽

"It shows (golfers in Springfield this week could be) one step away from leading a major championship," Constance said. "People need to know that ... that鈥檚 how close the line is between Korn Ferry and PGA players."

In the bag:

Young leads four-time major champion Rory McIlroy by two strokes.聽

Last year, Young won twice聽on the Korn Ferry Tour to earn his PGA Tour card. Since then, he's tied for second three times on the PGA Tour and had another third-place finish at a regular tour stop. He missed the cut at last week's Scottish Open. He's currently聽No. 32 in the Official World Golf Ranking.聽

鈥淎ny time you set foot on the first tee or 18th green or anywhere, there鈥檚 just no hiding how special of a place it is,鈥 Young told the AP. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 certainly been a goal to get to an Open Championship. And for my first one to be here is a little bit extra special for me.鈥

A year ago, Cameron Young was on the PGA Tour's developmental series and missed the cut at the Memorial Health Championship at Panther Creek Country Club. Now he's seen here hitting a shot at the fourth hole during the first round of the British Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, Thursday, July 14, 2022.

Contact Ryan Mahan:聽788-1546,聽ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.