PGA Tour professional Sam Burns speaks to the media following his first career start at The American Express and setting the course record with a final round 63. Burns finished the tournament -19 par and in a tie for sixth place.
PGA Tour: Sam Burns talks first start at The American Express and record setting final round 63
Q. Last time you saw this course was in the opening round. So how did it play today?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it’s starting to firm up a little bit out there. The golf course is definitely in really good shape and they do an incredible job each and every year to make this place one of the best greens on TOUR.
Q. You and I were talking off camera about some observations you made about Andrew Landry. What did you see?
SAM BURNS: I’ve played behind him and I just said’s really gritty player and he plays tough. He’s not a guy that you want to try to chase down because he’s not going to give you a whole lot of opportunity.
Q. No doubt. Back to you. It’s been a crazy stretch. Come back from injury a few missed cuts, but you also got married last month. Tell us what this ride’s been like?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it was unfortunate for the injury, but I was able to have some good time at home, focus on some more important things like getting married, so it’s been nice. I’m excited to be playing again. I’m really looking forward to this year. So I’m really excited about the way I played today and can give me some momentum going into next week.
Q. Round of 63. Your low round of the season. It’s going to give you your high finish of the season. Just overall, how pleasing has this week been?
SAM BURNS: It’s been great. I really enjoy coming here every year. It’s hard to beat the weather here and the golf courses are all in really good shape. So, yeah, really good day, just solid all around, was able to roll some putts in there down the stretch.
Q. Give me a sense of how scorable the golf course is out there. This kind of tells its own story, but from your perspective how did it feel out there?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it is. There’s certain pins you have to be a little bit careful to, but you can be pretty aggressive and I was able to take advantage of that today.
Q. The back nine first. Let’s look into your second nine, the front nine on this closing stretch.
SAM BURNS: Yeah, it was a 4-iron in there, a little cut 4-iron and then the putt. About the first four feet were pretty straight and then it turned a little left at the end. I played it right edge, kind of just got it going down the hill and it went in.
Q. And then, this isn’t a bad way to finish, is it?
SAM BURNS: No, had a great number here, 109 to the hole. I knew I could land it a little bit short of the pin trying to hit a 105-yard shot and it worked out, was able to convert the putt.
Q. Obviously it’s a little short of where the leaders are right now, but what does this do for confidence, belief now moving forward for the rest of the season?
SAM BURNS: Definitely gives me a lot of confidence. I knew this week I had been playing some good golf, just wasn’t able to score. So I knew if I just keep giving myself chances eventually I would be able to get the ball in the hole. So that’s what I was able to do today and hopefully some more of that in the next few weeks.
Q. Spectacular round of golf. Course record 63. Nine birdies, rolling the rock. How much fun was it today?
SAM BURNS: Oh, anytime you have a day like that it’s a blast. I was talking to my caddie this morning, we knew we had been playing good golf all week, just weren’t able to convert and score kind of like we wanted to. And then kind of got off to a good start and then made a good save on 10. Had it just short of the green on 11 and I could have tossed it and got it up-and-down but didn’t get it up-and-down. I think that kind of kick-started my round a little bit. I was able to make some birdies.
Q. Thoughts on your putting because I counted at least three 15-footers, a 17-footer, a 20-footer. Was there something today that just clicked?
SAM BURNS: Yeah, I’ve been consistent the way I’ve been working on my putting and I think — I’ve seen it in practice and it’s starting to show off and now it’s just converting it to the golf course and today the putts were going in.
Q. You started the day 210th in FedExCup points standings, you’re projecting in the 125 area. I know it’s still early in the year but it’s always huge any week you can make a jump like that.
SAM BURNS: Yeah, absolutely. I wasn’t able to play much in the fall and when I did I was still injured and so just kind of it was a weird start to the season. So I was able to go home and get healthy and work on some stuff in my game that I knew I needed to work on and it’s obviously nice to come out here and play like this today.
January 19, 2020
La Quinta, California
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