Heavy Is the Head That Wears the Masters Expectations

For the past five years, Cameron Young has been a cult favorite. At major championships, he was always sitting in the row just behind the favorite as a “sleeper.” He would inspire comments like: “You know who could get it done? Cameron Young.” His career seemed heavy with promise, but light on burdens.

Young’s major pedigree has been stout — six top 10s in 18 starts, many flirtations with leads, and one significant piece of hardware. Despite that success, Young had never entered a major as one of the tournament's favorites. That all changed this year after his win at the Players Championship. At this year’s Masters, Young was asked by the club to appear in a pre-tournament press conference, an honor typically awarded to past champions and serious contenders. His odds also reflected his ascension in the sport; this year he had the seventh-best pre-tournament odds at 22 to 1. It’s a stark contrast to 2025, when he was 170 to 1.

Those expectations and reality came to a head this week for Young. In a tournament where it was widely assumed he would be a factor, it turned out that expectations are a bitch.

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Young sputtered out of the gate on Thursday, looking completely out of sorts in stretches, going out in 40 on Augusta National’s first nine. He was able to regroup and play a fantastic back nine (three birdies) to salvage a 1-over 73 and give himself a slim chance to contend on the weekend. As I watched, I couldn’t help but be reminded of several opening rounds at the Masters by his playing partner, Rory McIlroy, who has faced similar pressure and expectations throughout his career.

McIlroy, by contrast, was a picture of patience and calm on Thursday, playing the first seven holes in even par before catching fire and posting 67 to tie Sam Burns for the first round lead.

It was a revealing window into two of the game’s best players and their experience with handling expectations. When he came into the interview room, I asked Rory to explain how he’s learned over the years to handle the weight of knowing you’re expected to play well, and his answer felt like it could be a roadmap for Young.

“I still have high expectations of myself, but my expectations are more did I make good decisions today? Was I committed? Was I trusting?” McIlroy said. “It wasn't my expectation of ‘I’m going to go out and shoot 65, and did I do it?’ I think it took me a while to get to that point. If I focus on the process and the little mini goals of not compounding errors, like today, hitting it in trees and trying to be a hero, making good decisions, thinking my way around the golf course, I think those are the expectations I have for myself. And if I can live up to those expectations, then the scores and the results should take care of itself. I guess that's a long-winded way of saying not really focusing on the outcome, but focusing on all the little things you have to do to hopefully have that outcome take care of itself.”

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McIlroy’s 67 was his best opening round in 18 attempts at the Masters, and he did it despite admittedly not having his best stuff. The defending champion has been in a noticeably looser and freer mood this week. He arrived early to Augusta National and has seemingly been basking in the glory of his 2025 win. It looked, for the first time, like we saw McIlroy play Augusta National without the burden of his previous disappointments.

Will McIlroy become just the fourth golfer to win consecutive Masters? There is still a long way to go. But Young would do well to mimic McIlroy’s process in the second round. You can’t chase outcomes at the Masters, or try to be the golfer everyone says you’re supposed to be. You can only try to make smart decisions.