Sam Burns

Sam Burns is an American golfer from Shreveport, Louisiana, ranked around world number 31, with five PGA Tour victories and zero major championships. He played college golf at Louisiana State University, where he won the 2017 Jack Nicklaus Award as the outstanding male college golfer in the United States.

Burns' game is anchored by one of the best putters on the PGA Tour. His strokes gained putting statistics have consistently ranked among the top players in the world, and when the flatstick is working, he can overwhelm a field with birdie runs that few can match. His victories at the Valspar Championship (2022, 2023) demonstrated an ability to win at the same venue repeatedly, a sign of genuine course mastery rather than fortunate weeks. He generates solid distance off the tee without being among the tour's longest hitters, and his iron play has steadily improved since he first earned his PGA Tour card.

The Louisiana roots matter. Burns grew up in a family that valued competition; his father was a baseball coach, and the work ethic that comes from a coaching household is evident in how Burns prepares. He is known as one of the harder workers on the practice range, arriving early and staying late. His demeanor on the course is calm and methodical, a contrast to the explosive putters who pump fists after every conversion. Burns simply reloads and moves to the next hole, a temperament well suited to the grind of major championship golf where patience across 72 holes separates contenders from pretenders.

In 2026, Burns brings his putting prowess to four venues where the greens will be the ultimate arbiter. Augusta National features some of the most complex putting surfaces in golf. Aronimink will reward anyone who can read Donald Ross green contours. Shinnecock Hills demands survival putting when the wind picks up and greens firm out. Royal Birkdale adds the challenge of reading links greens that behave differently from anything on the PGA Tour. He will compete at all four: The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship. Fans following from the United States can check tee times in United States time.