World No.3 Cameron Young has said he "wasn't aware until very recently" the Titleist golf ball he plays would likely conform to proposed new testing guidelines.
A report from Golf Channel on Tuesday claimed "multiple sources" had told it Young's Titleist Pro V1x Double Dot golf ball - the one he's used in all three PGA Tour victories so far - would "very likely" be deemed conforming under the new testing standards, set to be introduced from a pushed back date of 2030.
Golf Channel also revealed sources had told it the Pro V1x Double Dot - which was designed to produce less spin, not to conform to new testing standards - was indeed "tested and conformed under the new conditions." Titleist did not wish to comment on the story when contacted by Golf Monthly.
The tweaked testing conditions which make up the Overall Distance Standard include increasing the club-head speed on the robot to 125mph with an 11-degree launch angle - up from the 120mph club-head speed and 10-degree launch angle which currently exists.
The testing limit for golf balls to travel under the new ODS is set to remain at 317 yards, with up to three yards of tolerance.
A golf ball rollback was proposed in the first place to curb the ever-increasing distance pros are hitting the ball and consequently reduce the environmental impact the game is having on the planet.
However, critics have long argued that focussing on the golf ball is futile and equipment - specifically drivers - is the way forward.
Discussing the report surrounding his own golf ball ahead of this week's PGA Championship at Aronimink, Young shared more detail about why he uses the Titleist Pro V1x Double Dot and when he first tested it.
The current Players champion said: "I think I put it in play the same reason that everybody else plays the ball that they play.
"I hit it during a ball test, one of the Titleist facilities probably close to two years ago and didn't know anything about it and just kind of say, hey, what's that one? Because I liked the flight.
"Then as things progressed, I was able to test it last year at [the Wyndham Championship], able to put that in play, and it's been there since.
"Obviously there is no conforming list. I wasn't aware that it would have -- I suppose I read something that said it passed that test, but I wasn't aware of that until very recently.
"So at no point was that a consideration. It was just really me trying to optimize my golf, and it's the ball that seems to work the best for me."
Since switching to the Titleist Pro V1x Double Dot, which around half a dozen other PGA Tour pros are said to use, Young has picked up his first three PGA Tour victories and remains one of the longest drivers of the ball on tour.
Young finished 17th on the PGA Tour in 2025 with an average of 313.2 yards off the tee while he has begun 2026 with an average driving distance of 312 yards which puts him 27th.
Regardless, the 29-year-old insisted the drop-off in distance since switching golf ball has been minimal and an increased ability to control the spin once away from the tee has truly been the difference in taking that next step in his career.
Asked if he had noticed a dip in his driving statistics as it relates to yardage, Young replied: "Not particularly. I don't think any of us are out here playing the ball that goes the farthest.
"I think you'd struggle to find a single person that's doing that. We're all sacrificing a certain amount of things that we feel are worth it, control with irons, control with wedges.
"For me, that's the biggest thing is being able to control spin, and this is the ball that does the best for me."
