Cameron Young was an afterthought at last year’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. BetMGM Sportsbook opened him at 80/1 for the 2026 PGA Championship, a number that now looks like a relic after the latest climb in his game.
Young has gone from a T-47 finish in that event last year to one of the most backed players in the market. BetMGM has him at 12/1 now, behind only Scottie Scheffler at +450 and Rory McIlroy at +900, and the sportsbook says he has drawn the second-most money wagered and the second-most tickets. That kind of movement does not happen by accident, and it reflects a season that has changed the way bettors and rivals have to view him.
Through the end of last year, Young had seven top-10 finishes, including a win at the Wyndham Championship and a T-4 at the U.S. Open. This season, he has added wins at THE PLAYERS Championship and the Cadillac Championship, finished T-3 at the Masters and made the cut in all 10 of his starts. He also went 3-1-0 in four Ryder Cup matches for the United States, giving his year a team result that matched the steady individual run.
The contrast with a year ago is what gives the move its weight. Young was not being discussed alongside golf’s elite when the PGA Championship last came around at Aronimink, but the combination of wins, contending finishes and consistency has forced a reset in how he is priced. The market has moved him from a longshot to a player sitting near the top of the board, even with the reigning PGA champion Scheffler still installed as the favorite.
The tension now is whether the betting surge reflects a true shift in Young’s status or simply a hot stretch that can still cool. BetMGM’s numbers show real belief, and his season gives that belief some support. What comes next is the test that matters in golf: whether Young can carry that form into another major and turn a market correction into a result that leaves no doubt.
