'It Would Have Been Really Special' - Tearful Sam Burns Reacts To US Open Near Miss

For Sam Burns, it was another painful case of 'so close yet so far' at the US Open on Sunday.

The 29-year-old finished one stroke back of champion Wyndham Clark despite posting three-under for the week at Shinnecock Hills and starting the final round seven behind.

Although there was obvious disappointment this time around, Burns' runner-up finish saw him become the only player to have ended inside the top-10 at each of the past three US Opens.

Speaking after, a crestfallen Burns admitted he remained proud of the way he fought to even give himself a chance of victory.

Burns said: "I would say last year at Oakmont I felt more I lost the golf tournament. I certainly don't feel that way today.

"I think I did my best, and I did everything I could to have a chance to win today. Like I said, I started the day seven shots back.

"That's very difficult to overcome, especially someone who is playing as well as Wyndham has been playing. That was really the difference today.

"If I would have been a little bit closer and maybe could have got ahead of him at some point, I think there could have been a different outcome possibly, but at the end of the day, he played amazing, and it was his week. You got to tip your cap to him."

One stroke was as close as Burns came to the lead at Shinnecock Hills, but he had chances to pull alongside the leader - none bigger than a birdie putt on the 18th green from 17 feet which was no more than a few dimples on a golf ball away from dropping.

Burns' reaction at the time was telling. He instinctively cast his putter out in front of him and wore an agonized expression on his face as he fell down to the ground.

Speaking after, he said: "To have the chance on 18, I really thought I made that putt. I hit it exactly how I wanted with the speed I wanted and just didn't go in, but really proud of the way we played today."

The Louisiana native knew that was the moment, if he had any chance of righting the wrongs from Oakmont in 2025.

12 months before, Burns was widely regarded as the victim of a bad break at a sodden Oakmont, with his ball appearing to be sat in standing water following a deluge of rain - but no free drop was forthcoming. From there, Burns ended T7th as JJ Spaun made history.

Having put that difficult day behind him, the five-time PGA Tour winner was excellent in Southampton last week but just ran out of steam when his usually white-hot putter cooled at the key moment.

Revealing his game plan throughout the final round, Burns said: "I think to start the day, I really wanted to try to get to four or five [under]. I thought that's what it would take.

"Then once I three-putted 15, I felt like I needed at least one or two on the last three holes. I holed the put on 16, which was nice, and then hit a really good shot in there on 17 and just a terrible read and not a very good putt.

"But, you know, to Wyndham's credit, he played amazing all week. That was really impressive golf that he played the first three rounds.

"Even [on Sunday], I mean, I know he shot, whatever, a couple over par, but it was playing really difficult this afternoon. You know, he did the right things when he needed to. He's a well-deserved champion."

Clark's reward for clinching a second US Open title was a surprise appearance from his dad Randall on Father's Day. It was a sweet moment and brought a tear to the eye of many onlookers.

It was also a scenario that Burns would have given anything to experience himself, with his own dad watching on with baited breath.

Regardless of his son's near miss, Todd Burns hugged his tearful son afterwards and told him he was proud - a prize surely greater than any Major championship.

Addressing the moment in his press conference, an emotional Burns wiped away tears as he spoke about seeing his dad post-round.

He said: "Yeah, he just said he was really proud. Sorry (tearing up). Just said he was proud, and I think we both knew how special it could have been for Father's Day, but I know he's proud.

"Yeah, I mean, I think it's one of the reasons we work so hard and practice as hard as we do to have chances at winning golf tournaments. It's just not very often we have a chance to win a major on a Father's Day.

"I think just the weight of that and knowing what that memory could have been like, it would have been really special."