Has Sam Burns played in the Ryder Cup? Exploring the American golfer’s past records
Sam Burns has not stopped making headlines related to the American team for the Ryder Cup. His selection has been met with both support and opposition, and even his haircut has been in the spotlight.
Burns is one of four rookies on the American team for the Ryder Cup, so he has no previous experience in the event. However, you can hardly call him an inexperienced player. With six seasons as a professional and five victories on the PGA Tour, he certainly boasts maturity and experience.
Sam Burns has also had several successes on stages that more or less resemble the Ryder Cup. In 2014, he was part of the American team at the Junior Ryder Cup and contributed 2.5 out of a possible three points to his team's victory.
Just before turning professional, Burns was again called up to the American team, this time for the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup. That didn't go so well, though, as he managed only one win, one draw and two losses in four matches. Nevertheless, the American team managed to win.
In the recently concluded 2022-23 season, Burns played in two tournaments with similarities to the Ryder Cup. These were the Presidents Cup and the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.
He did not fare well in the Presidents Cup, finishing with three losses and two ties, contributing only one point to the U.S. victory. However, his performance in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play was so good that he won the tournament.
He defeated Patrick Cantlay (2&1), Mackenzie Hughes (3&2), Scottie Scheffler (1-up in 21 holes) and Cameron Young (6&5) in that order to win his fifth PGA Tour title.
Sam Burns' professional career highlights
The fact that Sam Burns was one of the U.S. captain's picks for the Ryder Cup was much discussed by the media and fans.
There were other players, such as Keegan Bradley and Lucas Glover, who seemed more likely to make the cut. However, few have argued that Burns did not have the merits to be in the Ryder Cup. The player's growth has been gradual, but with solid steps throughout.
Burns won his first professional victory at the 2018 Savannah Golf Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. Three years later, he took a step to the next level and entered the winner's circle on the PGA Tour (2021 Valspar Championship).
The following season was the ultimate explosion of his quality. Three wins (Charles Schwab Challenge, Valspar Championship and Sanderson Farms Championship) were Sam Burns' rewards for his displayd during the 2021-22 season.
In the 2022-23 season, he had only the aforementioned victory at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. However, he commendably made 19 cuts in 26 tournaments, with six top-10 and 13 top-25 finishes.
Burns ended the season strong with a T15 at the BMW Championship and a T9 at the TOUR Championship.