Justin Thomas and Cameron Young fund a new South Florida junior golf event

Justin Thomas and Cameron Young have donated a portion of their Ryder Cup charity stipend to fund a new junior golf event in South Florida.

The inaugural Cameron Young/Justin Thomas South Florida PGA Junior Tour Challenge Cup will be held Dec. 12-14 at Emerald Dunes Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

Thomas and Young were a Ryder Cup pairing last year at Bethpage Black.

They defeated Europe's Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard, 6-and-5, in their first match together.

Each player won his singles match in dramatic fashion as the American team nearly rallied for the win.

Young tied for the U.S. lead with three points total.

The two Palm Beach County residents donated a portion of their $300,000 Ryder Cup charity stipend to the South Florida PGA to fund the event for the next five years.

Both players had fathers who were longtime PGA of America Golf Professionals.

David Young worked at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in New York.

Mike Thomas worked at Harmony Landing Country Club in Kentucky.

Both Thomas and Young played in the Junior Ryder Cup themselves as amateurs.

"We both grew up playing in section PGA events and saw what our families gave for the game of golf," Young said Sunday at the SoFi Center.

"My father worked sunup to sundown, basically all year round. And I'm sure Justin's did the same."

"We've seen what it takes behind the scenes, and it's cool just to be a part of something these players can be excited about."

Thomas echoed the sentiment.

"Cameron and I had such a great partnership at the Ryder Cup, and we wanted to do something with this incredible opportunity through the PGA of America," Thomas said.

"With both of us having family associated with the PGA of America, this runs in our blood."

Young and Thomas are not just writing a check.

Both will serve as captains and be hands-on during the two-day competition.

Young introduced the players at SoFi Center, where the juniors learned which team they would be playing for after hitting a shot at the home of TGL and WTGL.

"We're excited about it," Young said.

"We only play one team event a year, but we all spend those two years thinking about whichever winner it is."

"It's always beautiful to make those teams, and I think the players feel the same way about this tournament."

The 24 players qualified based on their results on the South Florida PGA junior tours during 2026.

Notable qualifiers include Petra Compton, daughter of former PGA Tour player and two-time heart-transplant recipient Erik Compton.

Also qualifying was Matthew Stigliano, son of 2025 South Florida PGA Teacher of the Year Kellie Stenzel.

The South Florida PGA's leadership praised the initiative.

"The South Florida PGA is thrilled to announce this exciting new event and our partnership with Cameron Young and Justin Thomas," said Eric Veilleux, President of the South Florida PGA and director of Golf at The Bear's Club.

"This provides another competitive opportunity for the most talented junior players in our Section."

Emerald Dunes Golf Club agreed to host the inaugural event.

The course was designed by Hall of Fame architect Tom Fazio of Jupiter in 1990.

Fazio renovated the course in 2012.

The club does not typically host outside events.

"We don't really host many outside events at Emerald Dunes, and to be in a position to be able to host what we think is probably going to be the best junior event in the entire country with Cameron and JT and their families involved, we had to step up and do it," said Lee Stroever, Director of Golf at Emerald Dunes and an officer on the South Florida PGA Foundation.

"We are beyond honored and proud to be able to do this."

The event schedule includes a pro-am with Emerald Dunes members on Dec. 12.

The Challenge Cup competition will be held the next two days in various formats.

The Ryder Cup-style format means the juniors will compete in team matches rather than individual stroke play.

This mirrors the experience Thomas and Young had at Bethpage last year.

The Ryder Cup is the most prestigious team event in professional golf, pitting the United States against Europe every two years.

Thomas has played in three Ryder Cups: 2018, 2022 and 2025.

Young made his Ryder Cup debut in 2025 at Bethpage Black.

The Junior Ryder Cup is the amateur version of the event, and both players participated in it before turning professional.

Thomas turned professional in 2013.

He has 15 PGA Tour wins, including two major championships: the 2017 PGA Championship and the 2022 PGA Championship.

Young turned professional in 2019.

He has finished runner-up in multiple PGA Tour events and has represented the U.S. in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

The South Florida PGA Section covers Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

It is one of the largest PGA sections in the country, with more than 1,000 members.

The section operates multiple junior tour levels, from developmental to elite.

Players qualify for the Challenge Cup through their performance on these tours throughout the season.

The South Florida PGA Foundation supports junior golf and community programs in the region.

Emerald Dunes Golf Club is located in West Palm Beach, approximately 15 miles from both Thomas's home in Jupiter and Young's residence in Palm Beach Gardens.

The course opened in 1990 and has been ranked among the top courses in Florida.

Tom Fazio is one of the most prolific golf course architects in history, with more than 200 courses to his name.

The event is scheduled for mid-December, which falls during the PGA Tour's offseason for most players.

Thomas and Young are expected to be present for the full two-day competition.

The five-year commitment means the event will run through at least 2030.

Future host sites have not been announced beyond the inaugural year.

The partnership between Thomas and Young on this event grew out of their Ryder Cup experience together.

"We only play one team event a year, but we all spend those two years thinking about whichever winner it is," Young said.

"It's always beautiful to make those teams, and I think the players feel the same way about this tournament."

The event gives junior golfers in South Florida a rare opportunity to compete in a high-level team format.

Most junior tournaments are individual stroke play events.

Team competitions teach different skills, including match-play strategy and team dynamics.

Both Thomas and Young have spoken about how their junior golf experiences shaped their careers.