Justin Thomas and Cameron Young fund new PGA Junior Tour event in Florida

Justin Thomas and Cameron Young have turned their Ryder Cup partnership into a lasting investment in junior golf.

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

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.

The event is structured as a Ryder Cup-style competition, with 24 junior players divided into two teams.

Thomas and Young will serve as hands-on captains for the two-day tournament.

Both players have deep personal ties to the PGA of America.

Thomas’ father, Mike Thomas, was a longtime PGA Golf Professional at Harmony Landing Country Club in Kentucky.

Young’s father, David Young, held the same role at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in New York.

Both Thomas and Young played in the Junior Ryder Cup during their own junior careers.

“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 that 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.”

The two players first teamed up at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

They defeated Europe’s Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard 6-and-5 in their opening foursomes match.

Though they lost their second match together, each won his singles match as the U.S. nearly rallied for the win.

Young tied for the U.S. lead with three points in that Ryder Cup.

The Challenge Cup will feature 24 players who qualified based on their results on the South Florida PGA junior tours during 2026.

Among the notable qualifiers is Petra Compton, daughter of former PGA Tour player and two-time heart-transplant recipient Erik Compton.

Another is Matthew Stigliano, son of 2025 South Florida PGA Teacher of the Year Kellie Stenzel.

The tournament format includes a pro-am with Emerald Dunes members on Dec. 12, followed by the Challenge Cup competition on Dec. 13-14 in various formats.

“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 was designed by Hall of Fame architect Tom Fazio of Jupiter in 1990 and underwent a renovation in 2012.

The club rarely hosts 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 hosting.”

The donation comes from the $300,000 charity stipend each Ryder Cup player receives from the PGA of America.

Thomas and Young chose to put a portion of that money toward funding the event for the next five years.

Thomas’ own life away from the Tour reflects a similar commitment to balance and family.

He lives in a $13.5 million waterfront mansion in the Tequesta-Jupiter area of South Florida.

The 7,600-square-foot property sits on the Loxahatchee River with approximately 100 feet of riverfront and a private boat dock.

Thomas bought the home in 2022, upgrading from his previous Jupiter home valued at around $3.1 million.

The estate provides river access for boating and a quiet escape from the PGA Tour schedule, which keeps him on the road more than 30 weeks a year.

He is married to Jillian Thomas, and they have a daughter, Molly Grace, and a dog named Franklin.

During breaks, Thomas prioritizes college football — especially the Alabama Crimson Tide — and family time.

He also has a known interest in fashion, particularly sneakers and designer pieces from Saint Laurent and Jordan releases.

His homes have reportedly included entertainment areas with multiple televisions and Alabama-themed pool tables.

The Challenge Cup marks a rare team event for both Thomas and Young outside the Ryder Cup.

“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 will be held at a private club that made an exception to host it.

Stroever called it “probably going to be the best junior event in the entire country.”

The South Florida PGA Foundation will administer the event for the next five years.

The 24-player field will be selected annually based on junior tour performance.

Thomas and Young will return each year as captains.

The format will mirror the Ryder Cup, with team matches, singles matches and a closing ceremony.

It is the first event of its kind funded directly by active PGA Tour players in the South Florida section.

The section covers Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

Emerald Dunes is a private course in West Palm Beach that opened in 1990.