Sam Burns Bio
Samuel Holland Burns (born July 23, 1996) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. A five-time PGA Tour winner, he has also earned a victory on the European Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, formerly known as the Web.com Tour. He played his college golf at Louisiana State University, where his amateur success foreshadowed a rapid rise once he turned professional in 2017.
Early Life and Background
Burns was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, to Todd and Beth Burns. He grew up in a household shaped by faith and sports, and he attended Calvary Baptist Academy for his high school years. During his prep career at Calvary Baptist, Burns was a three-time individual state champion, signaling early that he was one of the most promising junior players in the region.
In 2014, Burns was named the AJGA Rolex Junior Player of the Year after a standout season that included winning the Rolex Tournament of Champions in June and the Junior PGA Championship in August. He was also a member of the victorious United States Junior Ryder Cup team that year. These achievements positioned him as one of the top amateur prospects in the country heading into his college career.
Path to Professional Golf
Burns played in his first PGA Tour event at the 2015 Valero Texas Open after receiving an exemption following his Junior PGA Championship win the previous year. The experience was a difficult one, as he opened with an 89 in winds gusting to 45 miles per hour and missed the cut by a wide margin. He then enrolled at Louisiana State University, where his sophomore campaign transformed his standing in the amateur game.
At LSU, Burns won four tournaments in just 15 collegiate starts during his sophomore season. He was named a first-team All-American and earned the NCAA Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year award for the 2016–17 season. He also represented the United States on the winning 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup team. Burns closed his amateur career with a tie for sixth at the 2017 Barbasol Championship, giving him a glimpse of the PGA Tour stage he would soon join.
Sam Burns Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
In October 2017, Burns made his PGA Tour debut as a professional at the Sanderson Farms Championship, finishing tied for 43rd. A week later he posted a tied for 20th at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. His tied for 10th finish at the final stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament earned him guaranteed starts on the Web.com Tour for the 2018 season, and he quickly rewarded that opportunity.
Burns finished tied for second at the Colombia Championship in February 2018 and later notched a tied for seventh at the Honda Classic, where he played the final round alongside Tiger Woods. He earned his first professional victory at the 2018 Savannah Golf Championship on the Web.com Tour, birdieing each of the final three holes to defeat Roberto Castro by one stroke. That season secured his PGA Tour card for the 2018–19 wraparound season.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2019–2022)
Burns broke through on the PGA Tour in 2021, capping a stretch in which he finished solo third at the Genesis Invitational after holding the lead through three rounds. In May 2021, he captured the Valspar Championship for his first PGA Tour title, closing with a 68 to win by three strokes over Keegan Bradley. Two weeks later he finished runner-up to K.H. Lee at the AT&T Byron Nelson, confirming that his first win was no fluke.
On October 3, 2021, Burns won his second PGA Tour title at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. He won the Valspar Championship again on March 20, 2022, beating Davis Riley in a playoff, and later that May he captured the Charles Schwab Challenge with a 38-foot birdie putt in a playoff against Scottie Scheffler. The Colonial victory erased a seven-stroke final-round deficit and matched Nick Price’s 1994 mark for the largest final-round comeback at Colonial Country Club.
WGC and International Stage (2022–2023)
Burns qualified for the U.S. team at the 2022 Presidents Cup, where he tied two and lost three of the five matches he played. In March 2023, he won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, defeating Cameron Young 6 and 5 in the championship match to claim his fifth PGA Tour title. The victory cemented his place among the top American players heading into a busy team-golf summer.
Burns was one of Zach Johnson’s six captain’s picks for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy. The European team won 16.5–11.5, and Burns posted a 1–2–0 record, including a loss in his Sunday singles match against Rory McIlroy. The experience added a major international event to his resume and gave him valuable team-match experience.
Driving Style and Strengths
Burns is known as one of the straightest drivers on the PGA Tour, allowing him to attack a wide variety of tee shots without sacrificing accuracy. His iron play and clutch putting have produced several of his biggest wins, including the playoff birdies at the Valspar Championship and the long birdie putt at Colonial. He pairs a calm, methodical temperament with the ability to perform under pressure in final rounds.
Notable Events and Milestones
His first PGA Tour win at the 2021 Valspar Championship launched a remarkable run in which he captured four titles in roughly 13 months. The Charles Schwab Challenge victory over Scottie Scheffler stands out as his most dramatic finish, while his WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play title demonstrated his ability to thrive in head-to-head formats. He also reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of ninth on May 29, 2022.
Sam Burns Career Wins
Across all recognized professional tours, Sam Burns has accumulated six verified victories. Five of those wins have come on the PGA Tour, with one additional title on the European Tour and one on the Korn Ferry Tour. His wins span regular PGA Tour events, a World Golf Championships event, and developmental circuit titles, reflecting a well-rounded resume at a young age.
PGA Tour Highlights
Burns has won five PGA Tour titles, beginning with the 2021 Valspar Championship and quickly adding the 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship. He defended the Valspar Championship successfully in March 2022 and won the Charles Schwab Challenge later that May. His fifth PGA Tour title came at the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, where he dominated Cameron Young 6 and 5 in the championship match. He also has two PGA Tour playoff victories to his credit.
Other Wins and Performances
Burns won the 2018 Savannah Golf Championship on the Web.com Tour, which is now known as the Korn Ferry Tour, finishing the season with enough points to earn his PGA Tour card. He has also represented the United States in prestigious team competitions, including the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup, the 2022 Presidents Cup, and the 2023 Ryder Cup. A 2025 RBC Canadian Open runner-up finish and a tied seventh at the 2025 U.S. Open further highlight his consistency at the highest level.
Sam Burns Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Burns was raised by his parents, Todd and Beth Burns, in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the family later settled in nearby Choudrant. He is a Christian and has spoken openly about the role his faith plays in his career and personal decisions. Burns has also been an active supporter of Compassion International’s Fill the Stadium initiative, which provided food, medical supplies, and other support to children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burns married Caroline Campbell in 2019, and she is now Caroline Burns. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Bear, in 2024. Burns resides with his family in Choudrant, Louisiana, the same community that served as the hub for his amateur development and early professional years.
2025 Season Performance
Burns entered the 2025 PGA Tour season aiming to build on his previous form and add to his five PGA Tour titles. A strong early-season performance included a runner-up finish at the RBC Canadian Open in June 2025, where he lost in a playoff to Ryan Fox. The result demonstrated that his game remained sharp heading into the heart of the summer major season.
The following week, Burns held the 54-hole lead at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, putting himself in position for a breakthrough major championship victory. A final-round 78 dropped him to a tie for seventh, but the performance still counted as his best finish in a major championship at that time. The result was later surpassed by a second-place finish at the 2026 U.S. Open and a tied seventh at the 2026 Masters Tournament, showing continued momentum on the biggest stages.
