By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Sam Burns has had by anyone’s yardstick, a pretty good year on the PGA Tour, with $4.6 million in official earnings and 19 of 22 cuts made.
He has been that close to much better. He shot a final round 62 to get into a playoff for the Canadian Open title (finished runner-up), then a week later led the U.S. Open, after a 65 in Round 2, until the final three holes Sunday (wound up 8th, shooting 78 on a rain-soaked Oakmont CC track).
To make it a great year, Burns probably needs to add to his 2025 top 10 total of four as the second leg of the Tour’s playoffs begins today – the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland. A $20 million purse includes a $3.6 winner’s take.
The Shreveport native, Calvary Baptist graduate and two-time LSU All-American tees off at 11:49 a.m. with Sungjae Im. Golf Channel will air tournament play from 1-5 today, while extensive coverage begins early this morning through the PGA Tour Live streaming service on ESPN+.
Burns, 29, still has hopes of getting a spot on Team USA for next month’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island, N.Y.
He remains 16th in Ryder Cup points after his 28th place finish last week in Memphis, shooting 6-under on the final two rounds at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Team captain Keegan Bradley will supplement the top six in the standings with six captain’s picks – with the rankings a factor but not necessarily decisive — after next week’s Tour Championship involving the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup point totals.
Burns is 24th in the FedEx Cup standings. The top 50 players are in the field this week.
He is in a group of six likely still in the mix for a Ryder Cup roster invitation. How Burns fares this week (and next) compared to Nos. 11-15 Maverick McNealy, Andrew Novak, Brian Harman, Cameron Young and Patrick Cantlay will determine if he gets to play in a fourth consecutive international competition (2022, 2024 Presidents Cup, 2023 Ryder Cup).
Now a Choudrant resident, playing out of Squire Creek Country Club, Burns is the 16th pick by oddsmakers in this weekend’s event.
He ranks second in PGA Tour strokes gained putting (+0.862) and 18th overall in strokes gained (+0.841), but to fare well he must improve in shots gained on approaches to the green (ranking 121st) and shots gained off the tee (78th).
Burns was runner-up at last year’s BMW Championship contested at Castle Pines in Colorado.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com