Will another dream of the golf industry be sacrificed? Well, not yet, but maybe soon. Sam Burns may not be part of the 2025 Ryder Cup team. He was part of Team USA at the 2023 Ryder Cup, led by captain Zach Johnson. Now that Keegan Bradley is the captain of the 2025 Ryder Cup, things might be different. Why? Well, because of Bradley’s high hopes.

Bradley was denied the chance to represent the U.S. at the 2024 Ryder Cup despite a fabulous year. He won two events in the 2022-23 season and also had a couple of top-15 finishes, but was not part of the Ryder Cup team at the Marco Simone. He was heartbroken, to say the least, after receiving that call from Johnson, and he probably doesn’t want to do the same to any deserving golfer next year.

The 6-time PGA Tour winner made his wish quite clear. He explained: “I only want the 12 best players.” He mentioned that he doesn’t care what league golfers are in; all that matters to him is that they play good golf. And with the year that Sam Burns is having, he doesn’t quite meet Bradley’s criteria. Burns is currently 33rd in the OWGR and his 2024 season was subpar. He played in all four majors but missed the cut in two of them: the Masters and the PGA Championship. He had nine top-15 finishes that year and his final regular event of the season was the 3M Open, where he finished T12. Those stats aren’t that bad, but they’re not exactly what Bradley would call the best season of golf. preferably Golf.

Burns’ current performance in the first tournament of the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs is going well so far. After the second round at the St. Jude Championship, the golfer held the T3 spot with an excellent score of 10 under par. The chances of him being selected by Bradley could be bleak if he continues to deliver subpar performances next year. But There is still a chance for him to qualify for the American team via the Ryder Cup rankings.

Burns is currently ranked 19th in the Ryder Cup rankings, well inside the top six. According to the Ryder Cup selection criteria, only the top six players in the Ryder Cup rankings are automatically selected for Team USA. And now you’ll say 19th isn’t so bad; he can easily move up. He could; given his performance this year, it might be difficult. Maybe he’ll make it to Bethpage next year, maybe he won’t, but he’ll always tell the hysterical story of his selection for 2023.

Sam Burns’ unforgettable Ryder Cup call

Sam Burns made his Ryder Cup debut in Rome in 2023. His underrated PGA Tour career was marked by a memorable phone call from former US team captain Zach Johnson, who invited him to join the team. The circumstances of the call were far from ideal. Burns was in the bathroom at the time of the news and recalled the moment in an interview with SiriusXM’s Taylor Zarzour.

“I was just passing the time in a cafe on Decision Monday when duty called, so I hurried home,” said Burns. “I had to go to the toilet – well, to the toilet, to the toilet.” He took Johnson’s call while still sitting on the toilet, overwhelmed by his emotions. “I’m in the middle of taking a poop and I just started crying because he just told me I’m invited.” Burns said, laughing. Burns managed to calm himself down, gave his wife Caroline a thumbs up, and finally celebrated the news as he came out of the bathroom. What a hilarious story, right?

So, do you think Sam Burns has a chance to qualify for the Ryder Cup next year and represent the red, blue and white national team? Let us know in the comments section below!