PGA Tour Bubble Boys: Sam Burns in good spot again
By Tim Letcher
Sam Burns is a talented young standout on the PGA Tour
As we continue to look at the PGA Tour bubble boys, those who are sitting on the bubble to make this year’s FedEx Cup playoffs, we come to Sam Burns. The Shreveport, Louisiana, native is trying to get into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Burns is in his second full year on the PGA Tour. He turned pro in 2017 after being an All-American at LSU during his collegiate career. While still an amateur, he made the cut at the Barbasol, where he celebrated his 21st birthday by finishing in a tie for sixth place.
More from Pro Golf Now
- Golf Rumors: LIV set to sign Masters Champion in stunning deal
- Fantasy Golf: Grant Thornton Invitational DFS Player Selections
- Brutal return leaves Will Zalatoris looking towards 2024
- Stars You Know at World Champions Cup Starts Thursday at Concession
- Fantasy Golf: An Early Look at the 2024 Masters Tournament
In 2018, Burns played his first full season as a professional, with most of his starts coming on the Korn Ferry Tour. Burns had no problem with the KFT, recording eight top 25 finishes, including his first professional win. He finished second on the KFT money list, earning his PGA Tour card for the 2019 season.
Burns was solid during his first year on the PGA Tour. He made 16 cuts in 26 starts and had three top 10 finishes. Those included a tie for third at the Sanderson Farms Championship and a ninth-place finish at the RBC Heritage. Burns qualified for the FedEx Cup playoffs, but was unable to make the start at the Northern Trust due to injury.
The 2020 season got off to a very slow start for Burns
He missed the cut in four of his first five events, with only a T45 at the Sanderson Farms Championship to show for his efforts. However, things turned in a positive direction from there.
Burns has since made five cuts in six starts and appears to be on his way to another strong showing. He recorded a T6 at the American Express in January and had a T23 at the Genesis Invitational in February.
In his last start before the coronavirus break, Burns was T36 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. That result pushed him from 127th to 122nd in the current FedEx Cup standings. That is obviously significant, since only the top 125 get into the playoffs.
Burns is a talented young player who still has his best golf ahead of him. Making the playoffs this year would just be another step in the progression of his still early career.