Sam Burns clinches third Presidents Cup spot, says faith, family and country come before golf
Sam Burns secured an automatic spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team, his third appearance in the event and fifth consecutive Team USA selection. The five-time PGA Tour winner spoke about fatherhood, faith, and why representing his country matters more than golf.
Sam Burns is heading back to represent the United States, officially clinching an automatic spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team Sunday. The 30-year-old will make his third Presidents Cup appearance and his fifth consecutive Team USA appearance across the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, continuing a run that began more than a decade ago when he played in the Junior Ryder Cup at age 18.
Burns has become a fixture on American teams, and his résumé now includes five PGA Tour victories. But this year, the experience carries a new meaning: his young son will be around the team for the first time. Burns and his wife, Caroline, welcomed their son Bear in April 2024, and their daughter Belle arrived on July 3. While Bear is still too young to understand what his father does on the course, Burns said it is meaningful that his children will grow up watching him wear USA on his chest.
«It is such an honor for me to be able to represent your country and also play for ultimately something a lot bigger than yourself,» Burns told OutKick in an exclusive interview. «And you have teammates that week that you're playing for and their families.»
Golf is largely an individual sport, with most weeks spent trying to beat everyone else in the field. But Burns said the team weeks stand apart. «It's such a special week,» he said. «And it's a week that I think most guys, when they look back on their career, when it's over, those will be the weeks that they remember.»
Casual sports fans might not immediately place Burns alongside the biggest names in golf, but his recent performances are hard to ignore. He has not won since 2023, yet this summer he came close to claiming his first major championship, finishing second at the U.S. Open and third at The Open. At Royal Birkdale last month, he held the 54-hole lead before finishing two shots behind winner Ryan Fox. Last weekend, he played in the final pairing at the FedEx St. Jude Championship alongside world No. 1 and close friend Scottie Scheffler, locking up another top-five finish, his fourth of the 2026 season.
Despite those results, Burns makes clear that golf is not the most important thing in his life. Speaking at The Highlands Golf & Tennis in St. Louis, where he partnered with Raising Cane's to work with local kids ahead of the BMW Championship, Burns reflected on what fatherhood has taught him. «I think you don't realize how impatient you are until you have kids,» he said, adding that while toddlers and newborns can feel like an inconvenience at times, «you just realize they want your attention and they want your love. So it's really special to be a dad for sure.»
He has already had to put those priorities into practice. Earlier this summer, Burns was prepared to miss The Open because Caroline was due to give birth around the same time. Belle arrived early, 13 days before the first round, and Caroline encouraged her husband to make the trip to Royal Birkdale. He went and nearly won the tournament.
Burns has spoken openly about his Christian faith and his belief that golf is what he does, not who he is. Asked whether he could recall a moment when golf truly tested his faith, he answered simply: «Every day.» He explained that the game has a way of humbling even the most dedicated players. «You put so many hours and so much effort into something, and a lot of the times you don't really see the results right away,» he said. «You can hit really good shots and end up in bad places, or bad shots end up in good places. Sometimes it seems silly, but ultimately it's a game that teaches you a lot about life and definitely can make you realize what's most important.»
For Burns, that perspective comes down to three things: faith, family and country. Golf matters to him, and his record proves it. But he seems to understand the difference between caring deeply about something and allowing it to define you. When he heads to Medinah next month, he will be representing the United States — and his family will be there to watch.
