Site of pro debut gets extra special for Sam Burns

Sam Burns' second PGA Tour win at the Sanderson Farms Championship has come in quick succession after the Valspar Championship. Photo: YouTube
Sam Burns' second PGA Tour win at the Sanderson Farms Championship has come in quick succession after the Valspar Championship. Photo: YouTube

Sam Burns (-22) picked up second PGA Tour victory on Sunday (after the 2021 Valspar Championship) in his 87th start at the age of 25 years, 2 months, 10 days. Victory comes in his fifth start at Sanderson Farms Championship, site of his professional debut (T43/2017).

Making his first PGA Tour cut in his fifth start, rookie Cameron Young finished runner-up. Nick Watney recorded sixth runner-up finish and first since 2018 Wells Fargo Championship after holding at least a share of the lead each of the first three rounds this week.

 

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Burns came from behind for the first time in his PGA Tour career; he entered the final round of a Tour event inside the top three on the leaderboard for the sixth time since the start of last season (ties: Jordan Spieth).

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The 22-under marks career-best score in relation to par (previous: -16/2021 World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational).

He led the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (6.162) and Strokes Gained: Total (12.842).

Making his first start of the season, Burns entered the week as the highest ranked player in the field at No. 25 in the OWGR and moved to projected No. 18.

 

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He moves No. T1 (Max Homa) in the FedExCup standings.

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Burns advanced to the TOUR Championship for the first time in his career and ended the 2020-21 season No. 18 in the FedExCup for his best finish on Tour.

 

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PGA Tour rookie Sahith Theegala finished T8. Theegala (T8/-19) held the outright lead after each of the first three rounds before shooting a final-round 1-under 71, marks best finish of his Tour career (previous: T14/2020 Fortinet Championship).

Cameron Tringale (T11/-18) was seeking his first career Tour title in his 311th start this week. He holds the distinction of having the most starts on Tour without a win since 2009.

2020-21 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Will Zalatoris (T14/-17) earned his second top-25 finish in as many starts this season (T11/Fortinet Championship); week highlighted by a career-low 11-under 61 and tying the Sanderson Farms Championship 18-hole scoring record during round two.

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