Sports

Cam Young Calls Penalty on Himself While Leading Cadillac Championship on Sunday

Cam Young, standing over his approach on Doral's par-4 2nd Sunday at the Cadillac Championship, began to take the club back. Then, he suddenly stopped.

"Can you call an official for me?" Young said.

The world No. 4 thought he saw the ball rotate forward in his backswing.

"I touched the ground," cameras caught Young saying, "but I don't see how that would make it move forward."

With preferred lies in effect due to rain in the morning, Young was able to clean and place the ball back in the fairway. However, that might have caused his club to push grass forward, thus moving the ball.

Even though Young was unsure if his ball shifted, golf is a game of honesty. And if he did indeed cause the ball to move, it's a one-stroke penalty.

Such was the case.

Yet, Young hit that shot inside 15 feet and saved par, maintaining his five-stroke lead. He is attempting to be the first wire-to-wire winner of a Tour event at Doral since Andy Bean at the 1977 Doral-Eastern Open.

Having built up such a substantial lead, the New York native didn't have to sweat losing a stroke. And if he goes on to win, which appears inevitable, perhaps that's a reward for his honesty.

More Golf from Sports Illustrated



Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 12:09 PM.

Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW