Like any savvy patient who gets a bad diagnosis, Sam Burns wanted a second opinion. When his drive on Oakmont’s par-4 15th hole stayed on the fairway next to the first cut, he seemed to catch a good break. But when Burns arrived at the ball, it looked and felt to him that it was sitting in standing water from the day’s earlier heavy rain storm.

The 54-hole leader was in the hunt until two different officials denied him relief from a wet area in the fairway, leading to a double bogey.

When Sam Burns stood over his tee shot on the 15th hole in the final round of the U.S. Open, he was in a tie for the lead. When he walked off the green, he was two shots back and essentially out of contention. What transpired in between is a questionable ruling that very much led to the double bogey Burns carded on the hole.

It just showed a clever bit of awareness and foresight. In the heat of the pressure and the pouring rain, Burns stopped himself from making a potentially very costly error. It was a small moment, but the kind of decision that wins U.S. Opens.

Caroline Campbell Burns is the wife of golfer Sam Burns. They have been married since 2019 and have a son together, named Bear.

With three rounds of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club complete, Sam Burns holds a one shot lead and will look to close it out on Sunday and win his first major championship. Burns entered the weekend with the lead after finding ways to tame some of Oakmont's challenges, firing a 65 to move to -3 on the leaderboard.

Burns converts the birdie following a brilliant tee shot on the par-3 13th. He’s at 4 under, one clear of playing competitor J.J. Spaun. The 44-year-old birdies the par-3 13th to get to 1 under. He’s two off the lead, seeking his second major title (2013 Masters).

Sam Burns' Message on Donald Trump Resurfaces During US Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Sam Burns has had a stellar week at the U.S. Open, but the PGA Tour golfer is used to playing with high-profile partners. With Burns in contention to win the U.S. Open, fans pointed to an old Instagram post Burns made last fall.