Cameron Young was the only player who came close to challenging his own lead during Sunday's final round. The American dominated the field on the last day of the Cadillac Championship, securing a six-stroke victory after leading wire-to-wire at Trump National Doral in Florida.
However, the round was not entirely smooth, as Young found himself in an unexpected predicament on the second hole. He called a one-stroke penalty on himself while playing the par-4 second after causing his ball to move in the fairway before his approach shot. Playing with preferred lies, Young had lifted, cleaned, and placed his ball. But when he addressed it, the ball moved before his swing.
Young did not hesitate to do the right thing, stopping to call an official. He told the rules official that the ball moved slightly forward when he addressed it and admitted uncertainty about whether his actions caused the movement. After deliberation, the official determined that Young had caused the ball to move, resulting in a one-stroke penalty.
Remarkably, Young still managed to make par. The penalty meant he was hitting his third shot from the fairway, 159 yards from the green. He then stuck his approach to within 14 feet of the pin and rolled in the putt for par, protecting his lead over World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
"Your heart sinks when you see it move," Young said. "But it moved. That's part of what golf is about. There's no one who's going to give me a penalty there but myself."
Fans praised Young for his honesty, though many argued the penalty was unnecessary. One golf fan claimed on social media, "It's a stupid rule. Not a penalty on the tee box or the green, but on the fairway it is? Just put the ball back. Or don't, the ball isn't going to defy gravity and sit up in a better position, it would be zero benefit to the player. No need for a penalty here."
Another insisted, "All pros should know, cameras are everywhere and the one stroke penalty is hard to swallow during the event but being called a cheater could be career ending." A third added, "Silly rule especially when playing preferred lies, no harm is caused to the field by just replacing to original position."
President Donald Trump was also spotted arriving at the Trump Suite in Doral, Florida, to watch most of the round. Young won the $20 million Cadillac Championship and picked up $3.6 million, the second-biggest payday of his career, after earning $4.5 million earlier this year for winning The Players Championship.
Trump arrived with several family members, including granddaughter Kai Trump, who plans to play at the University of Miami later this year. He stood for the ovation as Young walked up the 18th hole, with fans allowed onto the fairway to watch the final putts. After the victory, Young received a thumbs-up and a quick handshake from Trump.
"It's very unique. He's nothing if not a very, very interesting man," Young said. "He's very powerful and it's an honor to get to play in front of him."
