AUSTIN, Texas — As a kid growing up in Louisiana, Sam Burns spent plenty of time running around in the house of David Toms, the dad of one of his best buddies. Burns was invited on family vacations and later played baseball and golf at LSU with Carter Toms.
And one of Burns’ highlights as a kid was driving to Fort Worth, Texas, to watch Toms win the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club, the last of Toms’ 13 PGA Tour victories. Burns, too, went on to win at Colonial last year in the Charles Schwab Challenge.
On Sunday, Burns lit up when told in the media center after his victory at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play that Toms, too, had just captured a title.
“Man, that’s like a dream of mine as a kid,” Burns said of winning on the same day as Toms’ victory in the debut of the PGA Tour Champions Galleri Classic on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club.
Down three shots after eight holes to a red-hot Retief Goosen, Toms turned on his game on the back nine to win the inaugural event in Rancho Mirage by four shots. A final-round 7-under 65, tied for the lowest round of the week which he established in the first round, pushed Toms to a wire-to-wire victory at 16-under 200.
“Growing up watching him play, I can remember sitting on the back of the range and just watching him hit golf balls,” Burns said. “It’s still one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen, just the way he could hit it. So straight and just like his tempo is amazing. Still is.”
Meanwhile, Burns was handling business on his end, using a barrage of birdies to defeat Cameron Young, 6 and 5, in the final event at Austin Country Club. The event is not on the PGA Tour schedule next year.
As the Galleri begins, the Dell Match Play ends its run. And the two Louisiana natives will be forever linked.
“Yeah, to be able to win on the same day is really cool,” Burns said.
