American golfer Sam Burns finished as the runner-up at the 154th British Open Championship held at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England on July 19, 2026, after a strong early final round was derailed by three consecutive bogeys on holes 4, 5 and 6. The result marked the latest major championship near-miss for Burns, who also held the 54-hole lead at the 2025 U.S. Open and finished second at the prior month's U.S. Open at Shinnecock, where he missed a 17-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff. Burns had not originally planned to compete in the British Open after his wife Caroline gave birth to their daughter Belle on July 3, and posted impressive rounds of 62 and 65 on the first two days of the tournament.
SOUTHPORT, England — When we last left Sam Burns, he walked off the 18th hole at Shinnecock in tears last month after failing to win the U.S. Open.
On Sunday, across the Atlantic Ocean from eastern Long Island, Burns let another major championship slip through his fingers, this one the 154th British Open at Royal Birkdale. Sam Burns of the U.S. reacts after he misses a birdie putt on the 15th hole during the final round. Sam Burns plays his second shot on the 17th hole on day four of the 154th British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 19, 2026, in Southport, England.
In a way, the week was a triumph for Burns, though, because he hadn’t planned to come to England at all with wife Caroline having given birth to their daughter, Belle, on July 3. Still, this one had to hurt, given the 62 Burns shot Friday, followed by a 65 on Saturday.
“Given the circumstances, I’m very pleased with the week,’’ Burns said. “I’m looking forward to being home. ’’ This is the latest heartbreak for Burns, who has now entered the final round with the lead in two majors and finished second.
“The more you put yourself in this position, the better,’’ Burns said. “I played a lot of great golf this week. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my best stuff today. Got off to a bad start, made a couple of mistakes early.
’’ Burns actually began Sunday with a birdie on No. 2 to get to 11 under par, the lowest any player reached all week. But he made three consecutive bogeys on Nos. 4, 5, and 6 and never recovered. Burns entered the final round of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont with the 54-hole lead but struggled to an 8-over 78 in the final round.
At Shinnecock, he finished second and missed a 17-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff. This week was the best performance at a British Open for Burns, who revealed earlier in the week that he wasn’t a big fan of links golf. He now has top 10 finishes at three consecutive majors, finishing tied for seventh at the Masters, second at the U.S. Open, and third at the British Open.
REUTERS Sam Burns plays his second shot on the 17th hole on day four of the 154th British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 19, 2026, in Southport, England.
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