It was another brutal Sunday for Sam Burns at a major, folks. The 29-year-old had a commanding two-shot lead after 54 holes at the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, looking poised to finally grab that major trophy, but he couldn’t hold it together. He walked off the 18th green on Saturday at an ultimate winning number of 10 under par, then went one better after the second hole on Sunday. But by the time his final putt dropped, he was two shots worse, watching Ryan Fox power his way to the Claret Jug instead. Talk about a gut punch.
Another Major Opportunity Lost
Burns knows this feeling of major championship pressure all too well. He’s elevated his game in recent seasons, consistently putting himself in contention at golf’s four biggest tournaments. That’s great, right? Gaining valuable experience, they say. But there comes a point where “experience” starts feeling like a cruel joke, especially when you’re knocking on the door this hard, this often. He had the lead after three rounds, then a rocky start Sunday coughed up his position. Fox, his final pairing partner, took home the win with an up-and-down round that finished with a stellar effort on the 72nd hole.
When Does “Almost” Turn Into “Got It Done”?
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler summed it up when talking about Burns’ ability to consistently make weekend cuts at majors: “He’s someone I spend so much time around. I know how good he is. Sometimes, you need to continue to build that experience and put yourself in the positions. He was close at the U.S. Open last year. He was close again at the U.S. Open this year.” Scheffler added that “Sam’s a guy that’s been knocking on the door a few times this year and hasn’t been able to get it done. But like it’s a matter of continuing to give yourself opportunities, continuing to knock on the door. Sam’s a guy that’s been on the last few Ryder Cups, last few Presidents Cups, and he’s a guy that I see all the time. He’s got a ton of talent. For me, it’s a matter of time until he gets it done in one of these.”
You gotta wonder though. Since the start of the 2024 season, Burns has had five legitimate chances to raise one of golf’s most famous trophies in just 12 tournaments. That’s nearly 50% of the time his name is on the first page of the leaderboard in crunch time. But the cracks are there. He fired a final-round 80 at Royal Troon in 2024 to blow out of contention. He held the lead at the 54-hole mark at Oakmont only to falter, thanks to a horrible ruling down the stretch on the back nine. Doubt has to be creeping in, right? What is missing?
You want to believe Scheffler that it’s “a matter of time,” because Burns clearly has the talent and the drive to be there. He’s putting himself in the toughest spots against the best players. The whole golf world is watching to see if this incredible talent can finally get it done and hoist that major trophy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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