By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
Sam Burns was a very good 6-under par in the final 36 holes of this weekend’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, the start of the three-week PGA Tour championship tournament, and finished a solid 28th.
But when it comes to Burns’ bid for a second consecutive spot on the 12-man USA Ryder Cup roster to be set after the playoffs finish, the two-time LSU All-American and 2016 collegiate player of the year didn’t improve his stock.
Burns, now a Choudrant resident who plays out of Squire Creek Country Club, entered the weekend at 1-over after opening 70-71 in the first two rounds Thursday and Friday. His weekend play brought him to the brink of a top 20 finish, but his closest competition for the Ryder Cup’s captain’s picks equaled or bettered his standing in Memphis.
The Shreveport native began the tournament 16th in the Ryder Cup points standings, which are one tool that team captain Keegan Bradley will use when he makes his six captain’s picks. But golfers standing ahead of Burns – except for Bradley – all performed well.
Maverick McNealy (11th in the Ryder Cup points race) tied Burns’ 28th place score. Otherwise, No. 12 Brian Harman tied for 22nd, 13th-ranked Andrew Novak finished sixth, No. 14 Patrick Cantlay continued his late-season surge in ninth, and 15th-ranked Cameron Young charged Sunday to a fifth-place tie.
That put the onus on Burns to make a move this week in Owings Mills, Md., at Caves Valley Golf Club in the BMW Championship. Last year Burns was the runner-up at the BMW, held in 2024 at Castle Pines Golf Club near Denver.
The former Calvary Baptist Academy and LSU golfer has made three consecutive appearances on the Team USA roster (2022, 2024 Presidents Cup team wins, and the 2023 Ryder Cup loss in Italy).
Burns, 28, was already a lock to advance from Memphis to the second leg of the playoffs. He stands 24th in FedEx Cup points (the top 50 advanced) and 23rd in the Official World Golf Rankings.
With his $139,000 payday Sunday, Burns has $4.6 million in official earnings this season and has made cuts in 19 of his 22 events. He has four top 10 finishes, including a playoff loss at the Canadian Open followed by a painful eighth at the U.S. Open in Jue that he led on Saturday and until the final three holes in the closing round, with heavy rains unquestionably and controversially impacting his finish.
The top 30 in the points standings at the BMW Championship move on to the Tour Championship in Atlanta at East Lake Country Club. A total of $80 million will be paid to the golfers still standing at the end.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com