LA QUINTA (Cali) — This week has been a busy one for the American Express. Eight of the top 14 players are represented in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Many of these eight players are familiar to casual golfers: Tony Finau, Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay to name a few. Sam Burns is another. American has reached No. 9 in the world, is currently ranked at No. 13. Finau is one spot ahead, and Jordan Spieth is two spots behind.
Burns will be back at it this weekend at American Express. Louisiana’s 26-year old Burns shot an 8-under 64 Saturday on Nicklaus Tournament Course. He is now at 18-under overall and tied for fifth, five strokes back of Davis Thompson and Jon Rahm.
His win Sunday at the PGA Tour would mark his fifth victory in the past two years and will be a strong statement about why golf fans should be familiar with his name.
Burns said, “Pretty solid overall, can’t complain,” while looking at the leaderboard with Jon Rahm still on top. “Jon Rahm is clearly playing some great golf. Tomorrow will need something special, but it was a solid day.”
This is one of many solid days Burns had on the PGA Tour over the past year and a quarter. He won the 2021 Valspar Championship and the 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship. In 2022, he was again the Valspar champion. In 2022, he won the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Burns is not well-known by the general golf public because he hasn’t done well on the largest stage, the four majors.
He tied for 20th at the PGA Championship last year, his best finish in a major. He missed the cut at Masters and finished tied for 27th at U.S. Open. He was also tied for 42nd at British Open.
Burns doesn’t want to climb the rankings or become a better-known player. He is singularly focused only on improving his game and golf.
He said, “I don’t pay a lot of attention to this stuff.” “Every week, I just try to find ways to improve and gain throughout the year.
Burns will tee-off at the Stadium Course at PGA West with a deficit of five strokes. He can make it up!
“I can’t control Jon or the other guys. I’m just trying to put together a solid round and hopefully make a lot of birdies.
Shad Powers is a columnist at The Desert Sun. Reach him at [email protected].
