So near, yet so far. That will likely be going through Sam Burns’s mind right now. In two weeks, Sam Burns has produced brilliant performances on the golf course but has fallen short at the final stretch. First, it was the RBC Canadian Open, where he battled hard. He was seemingly out of contention on day 3 but fought hard and carded a brilliant 8 under par to tie for the top spot on the leaderboard with Ryan Fox. What followed was a long playoff battle, in which he lost out at the end of four holes. Then it was the U.S. Open.

Burns was one of the few who were able to tame the tough Oakmont Country Club, making a score below par and leading the pack at the end of day 3. Despite the weather conditions, he fought with everything he had. However, round 4 proved to be his undoing. When it started, he was 4 under par, but finished with a score of 4 over par, ending up at T7. This woe-filled round included two double bogeys and three bogeys on the back nine, which caused him to slip down. With two heartbreaks in two weeks, Burns will be looking to redeem himself on the course, and it will happen from June 19-22.

Yes, the 5-time PGA Tour winner has committed to the Travelers Championship. The TPC River Highlands will be the next hunting ground for the American golfer. He will be looking to put his heartbreak from the last two weeks aside as he bids to clinch the title in Connecticut. The signature event, worth $20 million, will feature no cuts but will have a very strong field with the likes of McIlroy, Schauffele, and Scheffler featuring as well.

This will be Burns’s sixth appearance at the Travelers Championship, a tournament where he has not enjoyed too much success. In five appearances, he had missed the cut once, while his best finish came at the 2021 edition when he finished T13 with a score of 8 under par.

Last year, the Callaway golfer finished a disappointing T55 after showing promise in the first two rounds, ending up with a score of 4 under par. However, this time around, he is coming with renewed focus and vigor and with a chip on his shoulder. Burns will be looking to prove himself at the signature event, and it will be the best way to push the disappointment of the US Open aside.

Tough ruling highlights day 4 of the US Open for Sam Burns

Despite leading halfway through the fourth round, Burns found himself struggling. With adverse weather conditions in effect, there was another incident that perfectly encapsulated the tough conditions that surrounded the golfers. On the 15th hole, Burns’s drive landed in a swell on the left side of the fairway. The spot had some water puddled up from the rain. As Burns took some practice swings, water was shooting up along with the grass. Since it was too wet to possibly muster a shot, Burns called over a rules official to ask for relief from standing water.

According to Rule 16.1, free relief “is allowed from interference by animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions, or temporary water.” Burns felt that the puddle where his ball lay qualified as temporary water. But the rules official disagreed. His request for a second opinion was also denied. Miffed, he took a shot that ended up landing on the rough.

“When I walked into it, clearly you could see water coming up. Took practice swings, and it’s just water splashing every single time. Called a rules official over, they disagreed. I looked at it again. I thought maybe I should get a second opinion. That rules official also disagreed,” Burns explained how the whole thing transpired after his disappointing fourth round. The golfing world is heavily divided on this front, with many believing that Burns should have been granted relief for the lie.

What do you think of the situation? Did the puddle warrant relief for the American golfer?