MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 5, 2022

Sam Burns

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Sam, welcome to your Masters debut. It's fair to say you're no ordinary Masters rookie. You're a three-time winner now. Tell us a little bit about what the last year has been like for you.

SAM BURNS: It's been obviously just a great year in golf. Obviously, some difficult times too, but I think that's what makes the wins and playing well so special. It's really cool to be here. I think it's -- you know, it seems odd, considering that I have won three times, for this to be my first. Like somebody asked me that this morning, and they were like, How is this your first one? I said, Well, Valspar last year was after the Masters, and then I won in the fall, and then a few weeks ago.

I'm really excited to be here. This is such a special place. Obviously just the history of this place and the Masters tournament and watching it as a kid growing up, I'm really grateful and excited to be here.

Q. Tell us a little bit more about your initial thoughts of Augusta National and maybe some of the preparation you've made in order to learn the golf course.

SAM BURNS: Yeah, so we came about a month ago just to kind of see the golf course. I came with my dad, which was really special for us to get to experience that together. I think we were both blown away by just the property in general. You stand up there on the 1st tee, and you can just see all the way down 18 and kind of through the trees. It feels so big.

I think it was definitely a moment for me that I'll never forget getting to walk around with my dad for the first time and getting to play. That was something that was really special for us.

Q. Sam, had you been here and played the course before a month ago? And secondly, what's impressed you the most about this place during tournament week?

SAM BURNS: I've been here, I think it was maybe 2011, we came for like a Tuesday practice round. Then first time I played the golf course was about a month ago.

I think the thing that impressed me the most is just how much the fans enjoy being here. Obviously, it's cool at any event for fans to come out and watch us, but especially early in the week when some guys are more relaxed, and the fans get to kind of see what we're like on practice round days and not necessarily in a tournament round. So I think that's really fun.

For me, just trying to enjoy it all. If you can make a positive impact on a kid out there, just say hello and ask them how they're doing, if they're having fun. So it's been really cool.

Q. It looks like you prepared yourself at least mentally three times to play in Augusta. Can you tell us a little bit more about that process, that you were ready to come and it didn't happen, the disappointment, and now finally being here, no?

SAM BURNS: Yeah, I think -- you know, I've watched so many videos of past Masters, it's funny, when I walk around here, I can just think back in my head of all the different shots I've seen guys hit from different areas and like, wow, that was really impressive. Because when you see it up close and personal, it kind of changes your perspective on things.

Yeah, the last year I've always looked forward to coming here and playing. It's kind of one of those things where until I got my official invitation in the mail, it didn't really seem real. So that was a cool moment to get that. I was actually out of town. My wife sent me a picture, and I said please don't open that until I get home. So that was a really neat moment for us to open it together and read it and just get to celebrate.

Q. What are some of the shots that have surprised you the most?

SAM BURNS: I think Tiger's chip-in on 16, just kind of how small that area is. It's a little bit different now with the way that it's cut. Then the shot Bubba hit on 10 from the trees, the shot on 13 from the pine straw on the right. That's just a couple that I think of off the top of my head.

Q. I think I can congratulate you on being the first golfer from Choudrant to ever play in the Masters. This has been historically a difficult place for first timers to win. There's only been a couple. But you've played so well in the last year. How much can confidence play a factor? Everyone feels like you have the game and the mental makeup to win the majors. How do you come into this one in terms of learning experience, thinking you're going to contend? How do you approach it?

SAM BURNS: I think for this week it's about trying to learn the golf course as much as I can. There's a lot of nuances to this place, and for me it's trying to gain information from guys who have been here a bunch or guys that have played well in the past here. So just trying to take all of that in and kind of process it.

Then really just prepare the best way that I can, kind of come up with a game plan of early in the week, these are the things we need to do to prepare ourselves. That's all we've tried to do. At the end of the day, that allows me to go out there and play free and have fun and enjoy the week because I know that I did everything that I possibly could to be ready to go.

Q. I see you did the skipping across 16 now. Is that a nervous moment in front of the fans to try to get that thing to do just right?

SAM BURNS: I think I was just like make sure you at least hit the water because I didn't want to send it straight in the air and not touch anything. That would be embarrassing. And try also to not fall in the water. That slope's pretty steep right there. That was fun. How do you not enjoy that?

Q. You've won before in Georgia on the Web.com Tour down in Savannah five years ago. Looking back on that very first win and how far you've come been able to come to this point in your career, such a big point, how do you reflect on all of that?

SAM BURNS: That doesn't seem like five years ago. Time flies. I think this area is really special to me, the Savannah area. I got engaged and married there and won my first event on the Korn Ferry there. So, yeah, I love this area. I think it's great. You have the southern hospitality.

It's something I'm used to kind of growing up in the South. It's really, really cool. I think looking back on that event kind of gave me some confidence going forward to have that belief that I can win at the professional level.

Q. Sam, will you adjust your game in any particular ways for the challenges of this golf course? And are you practicing any certain shots leading into it?

SAM BURNS: I wouldn't say that necessarily I would adjust my game. There's definitely some certain shots that this golf course requires. So really just trying to kind of figure out what those are and the best way to kind of hit those shots and make sure that I'm comfortable.

But like from an equipment standpoint, I haven't really changed anything in that aspect, so not necessarily, I guess.

Q. What are some of those shots that you're practicing?

SAM BURNS: How much you have to turn it off the 10th and the 13th tee. Like for me on 13, it's more comfortable for me to hit 3-wood because I can draw a 3-wood more than my driver, and if I hang it out to the right a little bit, it stays short of the trees, so stuff like that.

Then depending -- it's very dependent on the wind direction, but to a certain pin on 2, maybe it's not driver to the left pin because, even if I hit driver to the left pin, I'm still not necessarily trying to hit that ball on the green.

I don't know. That's the really cool thing about this golf course is there's so much to the imagination and so many different ways to play it.

Q. I understand you started as a football player originally. Then sometimes you talk to Canadians and they tell you that hockey helped them for the swing. So I wonder, I'm not an expert on football, but how good were you as a football player? Why did you make the transition? And how does football help you with your swing?

SAM BURNS: Well, I'm playing golf now so if that tells you anything (Laughter). Yeah, I think as a family, my dad and brother both played college football, so I just kind of always wanted to do what they did. I loved football. I really enjoyed it. At some times still out here when I get frustrated, I still wish I could put on pads and take my frustration out.

Yeah, it's still a sport that I love. Going to LSU, it's obviously a big football school, so it was really fun. I still keep up with it a lot. Yeah, I would say I was decent, I guess.

Q. Any technical thing from football that you can use in golf?

SAM BURNS: You know, it's similar in the fact that in golf after each shot you have to focus on the next one. You can't kind of worry about what just happened. Same thing in football. You know you're focused on the next play. So I think there's similarities there for sure.

Q. I think Scottie would probably consider you his best friend out on TOUR, so you probably know him better than anybody. What about the way he approaches the game and life that will serve him well as he attempts to play his first tournament in the Masters as the No. 1 ranked player in the world?

SAM BURNS: I think -- he isn't necessarily defined by golf, so I think that will serve him well because obviously golf is very difficult and you're going to have great stretches and you're going to have some bad stretches. At the end of the day, he knows that golf isn't everything. It's not who he is, it's what he does. So I think that's probably the most important thing.

Once you become No. 1 in the world, you get a lot of attention, and things change a little bit. We're staying in a house together this week, and he has not changed a single bit, so I can tell you that.

Q. Is there an example you can share?

SAM BURNS: I mean, he's just his goofy self. Off the golf course, he's a fun guy to hang out with. He just relaxes and doesn't take life too seriously. He's one of the most competitive people I've ever met. We were playing a lot of cards and board games last night, and he definitely hates to lose.

Q. How many holes did you guys get in today before the weather?

SAM BURNS: 5 1/2.

Q. I know Ted's not working for you, but were you able to pick his brain at all out on the course?

SAM BURNS: I asked him a few questions. He's a great guy, obviously a great caddie, and knows a lot about this place and knows a lot about the game of golf in general. So he's a great person to kind of reach out and ask questions to.

Q. How exciting is it for you having Tiger out here this week?

SAM BURNS: It's awesome. It's great for the game of golf. I know everyone's excited to see him back playing. It's remarkable that he's here. For him to be able to get his body ready to play, it's pretty cool to see. It's just the guy has no quit. He's an extremely hard worker, and he loves this game. You can tell by the way he treats the game.

Q. First of all, what position did you play in football?

SAM BURNS: Mostly I played like strong safety and a little bit of quarterback.

Q. Secondly, on Scottie, you described him as goofy. Could you give us an anecdote.

SAM BURNS: I would say just not taking life too serious. He's just like a funny guy, kind of carefree. That's probably the best way to describe him. He's a very genuine person, and once you get to know him, like he would do anything for you. That's just kind of the guy he is.

He's been a great friend. We've known each other for a long, long time, and now our wives are really good friends. So it's been really cool for us to kind of go back and forth this year a little bit and try to compete.

Q. And just finally, he's next in this interview room. If we wanted to ask him an entertaining question, what would it be?

SAM BURNS: Ask him how his matches have gone this week so far. That's a good one.

Q. How many times did you get to play here before this week? And Latannna Stone mentioned during the women's amateur how much support she had, people saying "Geaux Tigers," "Geaux LSU." Do you get that a lot? Do you expect that's going to be -- have you noticed it this week?

SAM BURNS: We came about a month ago, and then we came this past Wednesday. Those are the two times I've seen the golf course.

The Tiger fans are worldwide. I have a lot of support this week. And also just random places where you wouldn't really expect it, you'll hear some "Geaux Tigers." It makes you feel at home. It's nice to know there's fellow Tigers around this area.

Q. You mentioned Savannah and liking Savannah and Southern culture. Do you have a preference of egg salad versus pimento, and is there a debate amongst golfers about that?

SAM BURNS: That's a good question. I prefer pimento, but I wouldn't turn down egg salad either. I think they're both great, but if I had to choose one, it would probably be that one.

Q. Do you ever debate it amongst yourselves?

SAM BURNS: No, I haven't gotten into a debate with that yet. I feel like I could hold my own in a debate, though. Who knows if that will ever happen? But I guess I need to be prepared.