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Sam Burns, with U.S. leadership, dismisses 61 to manage American Express. Amateur champion twice over
Sam Burns posted a career-best 61 on Friday, securing a one-shot lead over Michael Kim and a two-shot lead over amateur Nick Dunlap after two rounds at The American Express.
Dunlap, the current U.S. Amateur champion and the lone amateur in the 156-player field, carded a 65 with six birdies on the front nine and another on the 18th to remain a contender in the Coachella Valley. The University of Alabama sophomore is participating on a sponsor’s exemption.
Since 1945, only seven amateurs have claimed victory on the PGA Tour, with Phil Mickelson being the most recent in Tucson, Arizona, in 1991.
After two stellar rounds, Burns leads the pack at 17-under 127, holding a one-shot advantage over Michael Kim and a two-shot lead over amateur Nick Dunlap and South Korea’s K.H. Lee, both at 15 under.
Burns delivered an exceptional performance on the Nicklaus Tournament course, recording seven birdies and two eagles. He began with an eagle on the fourth, added a second eagle on the 11th, and secured four consecutive birdies from holes 13 to 16, positioning himself for a potential third sub-60 round in the tournament’s history.
While he narrowly missed securing the eagles on the final two holes, Burns concluded his round with two pars, resulting in the best performance of his career. Previously, Burns had shot 62 at the BMW Championship last season and at the Byron Nelson in 2021.
“Everyone is posting some impressive numbers, so I’m just aiming to keep up and hit as many quality shots as possible, creating opportunities for myself,” said Burns, a five-time PGA Tour winner. “I believe the greens around La Quinta and Nicklaus and Stadium are in excellent condition, so it ultimately boils down to making some crucial putts.”
Despite his outstanding performance, Burns experienced a minor hiccup when he removed his hat after the final putt, unintentionally revealing the “RTR” shaved into the side of his head to the television audience. This acronym for “Roll Tide Roll” was the result of a bet loss to fellow pro Justin Thomas, an Alabama product, who had already celebrated the victory on social media.
“Fortunately, I get to wear a hat every day and try to keep it on as long as possible,” Burns remarked with a grin. “It’s all in good fun, celebrating (Nick) Saban’s retirement, as everyone else in Louisiana is.”
Burns and Kim set the pace on another day of remarkable scores across the three accessible courses of The American Express, with fifteen players within four shots of the lead.
Kim, hailing from Southern California’s junior golf scene, drew upon his familiarity with the Palm Springs area from his youth for a strong performance in the American Express. His rounds of 65-63 in the first two rounds, including six birdies on the back nine of the Nicklaus course on Friday, showcased his comfort with the courses.
“I even remember some of the shots I hit into them 10, 15 years ago,” said Kim, a San Diego native. “So it’s fun to kind of go back into the memory bank and just remember some of the more stress-free times, I guess.”
Alex Noren of Sweden, one of the first-round co-leaders, finished the second round strongly by sinking a lengthy birdie putt on the 18th, carding a 68 and trailing Burns by three shots. Zach Johnson, the other first-round leader, posted a 69 on the Nicklaus Course, placing him four shots behind.
While Burns narrowly missed achieving the third 59 in the history of the tournament, he sits atop the leaderboard at 17 under. The American Express, formerly the Bob Hope Desert Classic, employs a three-course format with a 54-hole cut. Notable instances of a sub-60 round in this event were by David Duval in 1999 and Adam Hadwin in 2017. Hadwin, currently at 14 under after consecutive 65s, is part of a competitive field within striking distance.
