Career achievement: Former LSU star golfer Sam Burns selected to first U.S. Ryder Cup team

Former LSU golf star Sam Burns was named to the 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup team, Captain Zach Johnson announced Tuesday.  

“There’s no higher honor than to represent your country. To be a part of this Ryder Cup and tee up alongside these world class players is extremely exciting,” Burns said.  

Burns was one of six selections were made by the American captain to round out the 12-man roster. The Americans will take on the European team next month at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.  

Other players named to the team by Johnson on Tuesday were Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.  

Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, and Xander Schauffele were the six automatic qualifiers who have accumulated the most Ryder Cup points over the last two years.  

This will be Burns’ rookie appearance with the Ryder Cup team, but he is no stranger to representing his country. He was a part of the victorious 2014 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team that played in Scotland.  

When asked about his youth Burns said, “As a kid you watch every Ryder Cup, and you always have this idea in the back of your head that you want to be a part of that, and you want to get to experience that one day.”  

Burns, the Shreveport native, is the third Tiger to play in the Ryder Cup behind LSU legend David Toms and Fred Haas.  Toms played on three Ryder Cup teams (2002, 2004, 2006) and Haas played in the 10th Ryder cup back in 1953.  

Burns finished the season last week tied for ninth in the FedEx Cup rankings, 21st in Official World Golf Ranking, and ranked 12th in Ryder Cup points.  

The 27-year-old Burns, who has five PGA wins, played two seasons (2015-17) at LSU. He was 2017 NCAA Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year, a two-time All-American and SEC Player of the Year.

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