Cameron Young rocks the MLB patch in Kapalua.
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KAPALUA, Hawaii – Sometimes we at Golf.com have to take a break from scathing reporting on matters of grave importance, like the assets of Justin Thomas hang around Or Colin Morikawa’s new part-time identity Shredder trainerTo give you simple answers to simple questions.
Question of the day: Why does Cameron Young wear the MLB logo on his championship jerseys?
Young’s MLB logo has already changed locations this week; It used to be on his left sleeve but now adorns his right collar. (“RBC” took over the left sleeve). This means that Young will continue to design the logo for Major League Baseball, just as he has since he first appeared on our radar. Obviously, this is strange and even strange when you consider the equivalents from other sports. Will the tennis player be sponsored by the NBA? Does the football team wear “NHL” on their kits? It seems unlikely.
Back to Young, then. The 25-year-old and world number 16, making his debut in Kapalua, joined the No lying down Podcast Earlier this week I dished out a little bit of everything. It was fun listening because Young is one of the world’s greatest Teddy Roosevelt golfers – he speaks softly and carries a big stick – so we don’t know much about him. But we found out more.
Dylan Dieter
As it turns out, MLB history dates back to Young’s upbringing as the son of the head pro at the Sleepy Hollow Club, a top-tier golf club just outside New York City. His father David, who has just retired from his position at the club, is Cameron’s coach.
In fact, Young’s origin story became somewhat viral when he was in competition at The Open Championship last summer and was asked by a reporter how he managed to develop his golf game while growing up “on the mean streets of New York.” Young handled it perfectly, telling the questioner that although he went to a nice private high school in the Bronx, he was hardly a rags-to-riches story.
“I literally grew up inside the gates of Sleepy Hollow Country Club, one of the nicest places you’ll find,” Young said. NLU Host Chris Solomon recalling the question. “I came home and basically broke out in my front yard.”
This is important background because we finally get to the heart of the MLB patch’s origin story. Without further ado:
“That’s how it started—the Commissioner of Baseball, Rob Manfred, is a member of Sleepy Hollow,” Young said. “My parents have known them for 20 years; they are amazing people. When I first turned pro they took us to dinner, and then Rob leaned over and said, ‘Are you going to wear an MLB patch? [PGA Tour Canada] Status or it was before I got Canada status, so I was nothing — no status anywhere, basically. And so I said ‘Sure, I would,’ and they’ve been there ever since and made a great partner.”
Young sang the praises of the Manfreds, showing that they were very supportive through care but also personally.
Interestingly, Young is the latest in a string of MLB-wearing Tour professionals. I found a story in the GOLF.com archives citing Peter Malnati, Billy Andrade, Brendon Todd, and Spencer Levine in 2015. The idea was originally the brainchild of sports agent Dave Parker, who negotiated an MLB deal for client Sean Stefani. Stephanie got some money from the deal, but he also got networking opportunities and, most importantly, free tickets to his hometown Houston Astros whenever he wanted it.
Malnati recalled the origin of his own deal. “They put a logo on your bag and shirt. They pay you a little bit for exposure. You do an event or two for them. Take some clients out to play golf. But most importantly, you have a ticket connection. That really intrigued me.” As a longtime Royals fan, he took full advantage in the year after his signing with everyone in attendance Seven Giants-Royals World Series games that year.
Others have since added the logo including Adam Long. Chez Reavie has had a decade-plus deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. according to Forbes ArticleSo important was the intersection of baseball and golf fans that the spending made a lot of sense.
As for the free tickets? Young said he hasn’t tested this feature yet.
He said, “I did not ask.” “Maybe we do [get tickets] But given the circumstances [the sponsorship] It started, when I was playing small rounds, that I wouldn’t ask for any favors. “
(You can listen to the entire podcast here.)
