AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 11 (Reuters) - Cameron Young began the third round of the Masters eight shots off the pace and seemingly an afterthought on Saturday, but as he walked off the 18th green he found himself tied for the lead with Rory McIlroy and with the Green Jacket suddenly within reach.
Young fired a seven-under-par 65 to match the low round of the week and reach 11-under for the tournament, earning himself a spot in Sunday's final pairing alongside world number two and defending champion McIlroy.
Young's career has been a slow burn.
After seven runner-up finishes in his first 93 PGA Tour starts, he finally broke through with his first victory last August at the Wyndham Championship.
"It's been a slow climb," said Young. "The hardest thing to do, I think, is develop some confidence when things aren't going great. Through the middle of last year I was able to take some positives out of some average results and out of some close calls.
"Now I feel just much more comfortable, I would say, than before. It's hard to say exactly what it is, but I feel like it's just been very small things over the course of the last year or so that have just built up some steam."
The momentum began to build.
Young made his first Ryder Cup appearance last September then in March hit the shot of his life to win the Players Championship — the most prestigious event outside of the majors — with a walloping 375-yard drive down the 18th at TPC Sawgrass to give him the edge over Matt Fitzpatrick.
"I said it, I think in my press conference afterward, that really what I was trying to do was get ready to be playing late on Sunday at Augusta," he said.
"Now I'm here with what will be a late tee time on Sunday at Augusta, and that's the best prep I could have asked for.
"I'll try to run much the same process, same mindset as I did that day."
Young has shown patience and resilience all week.
After stumbling to four-over through his first 11 holes of the tournament, he has since played the next 43 in 15-under.
He knows Sunday will not be a neutral environment and McIlroy will have the full-throated support of Augusta's patrons.
"I don't get the sense I'll be the fan favourite, but yeah, I feel like the support, some fans that cheer for me have gotten louder over the last year," said Young.
"It will still be lopsided, I think. Rory's kind of a world favourite in the golf world."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Augusta, Georgia; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
