Triad favorite opens season stronger than Koepka

A prominent PGA Tour player made a mediocre start to his 2026 season Thursday in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

And we don’t mean Brooks Koepka, back after a few years cast adrift in LIV Golf. No, we mean a player with strong local ties.

That player was Cameron Young, former Wake Forest standout, 2025 Wyndham Championship winner and U.S. Ryder Cup team member.

Young opened his season with a 2-under-par 70 on Torrey Pines’ South Course to join a 17-player tie for 55th. Not bad. Perhaps better than mediocre considering he plays Friday on the North Course, considered the easier of the San Diego facility’s two courses.

So what about Koepka, the five-time major champion? Not so good. He shot 73 at South and will need a strong round Friday to make the cut to the top 65 players and ties.

Will Zalatoris, another former Wake star, shot 68 at North to tie for 23rd. Alex Smalley, who has top 50 finishes in the Tour’s first two events, shot 70 at North.