From delivery room to Claret Jug dream, Sam Burns eyeing first major at British Open

[p]But daughter Belle arrived early, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/burns-sam/Ya8WURp6/"]Burns[/a] caught the plane and with a two-shot ‌lead heading into Sunday's fourth round he could celebrate with his first major triumph.[/p][p]After a disappointing opening round of ‌three-over 73, the 29-year-old has ripped up the Royal Birkdale course with a men's ‌major record-equalling 62 on Friday and a 65 on Saturday.[/p][p]"[b]This golf tournament was honestly so far ‌off of my radar and expectations of playing[/b]," Burns, who finished runner-up at the ‌US Open this year, told reporters.[/p][p]"[b]I mean, Caroline's due date was Tuesday this week. She was like four days late with our son. I just didn't think there was any possible way, and little Belle had ‌different plans for us[/b]."[/p][p]Even when his daughter arrived early, Burns ⁠was not sure about leaving his family ‌but his wife intervened.[/p][p]"[b]I wasn't thinking much about it. Caroline was kind of like, so what are ​you thinking for next week? I was like, I don't know. Should we talk about it? She was like, yeah[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]Ultimately she's the one that really ​encouraged me to come over and play. She basically said I've got this at home. Go over there and give it your best, and here we are[/b]."[/p][embed guid="afe619ac-e338-4a4e-899a-10aad7968bfb" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2078574482931806540" social-type="twitter" /][p]Burns finished bogey, bogey, ⁠bogey on Thursday and it looked ​as though he might be booking an early return ticket back to Louisiana. But some more words of wisdom from his wife helped him clear his mind for a challenge for the Claret Jug.[/p][p]"[b]I was pretty upset. That's an understatement[/b]," Burns, a five-time winner on the PGA ‌Tour, said. "[b]Talked to Caroline, texted with her, and she basically told me like, you know, you're over there, and I'm good at home[/b].[/p][p]"[b]You need to be where your feet are. I think that was really what I needed to hear in that moment. It's probably what I didn't want to hear, but I needed to hear it[/b].[/p][p]"[b]I really think she was the one that kind of gave me that encouragement that I needed and kind of a kick in the butt[/b]."[/p][p]He said he is now counting down the days until he returns, but first there is a job to be done on Sunday when he must ‌keep the chasing pack at bay.[/p][p]"[b]I haven't looked at the leaderboard. I think ultimately it ​comes down to I can't control anything anyone else does[/b]," he said. "[b]Someone's going to ‌go out and play a great round of golf tomorrow, maybe a few people. It's pretty much a given. That happens every single week[/b].[/p][p]"[b]So I'm going to have to do the same. I'm going to have to go out and execute. Ultimately whatever happens, I know that I can accept the outcome, and life's going to ⁠move on. I'll get to go home and ⁠see my family. I hope I'm ‌taking some hardware with me, but if I'm not, that's fine too[/b]."[/p]