SOUTHPORT, England — Two months ago, Cam Young had reached a stage in his golf season that made him feel as though he was already under par before he teed it up in a tournament round.

He won the Players Championship in March, the seminal victory of his career to date, and backed that up with a win at the Cadillac Championship in May at Doral.

His results since then entering this week’s British Open at Royal Birkdale, though, have been pedestrian by comparison.

There was a tie for 10th at the Truist, a tie for 26th at the PGA, then a tie for 46th at Memorial, tie for 43rd at the U.S. Open and a tie for 47th at the Travelers.

Young, en route to a 3-under 67 in Thursday’s opening round at Birkdale, looks like he’s separated himself from that run of mediocrity.

He spoke afterward like he wasn’t letting the lull bother him too much.

“It is hard, (and) I feel like I’m inclined toward frustration generally when I don’t perform really well,’’ Young said. “It does just come and go. It feels so easy sometimes. It feels like you wake up 2-under every day for a little while, and then for a little while it can go the other way.

“So really, this week’s a nice reset,’’ Young added. “You never know what you’re going to get here conditions-wise — totally different styles, different shots. It’s a really nice chance to just take things as they come and see each shot as its own thing.’’

Young put an exclamation point on his round with a big par save on the 18th hole, where he drove it left and made a 15 foot par-save putt to remain at 3-under.

“That 18th hole is one of the hardest holes I’ve played in professional golf,’’ Young said. “It’s a beast. I just made a bad mistake. I just made a poor swing. I was really happy to get out of there with a par.

“To get out of there with a four is really nice to be two (shots) back instead of three.’’

Young is two shots out of the lead held by Jackson Suber, who posted a 5-under 65.