Who is Sam Burns' wife? Meet Caroline, the woman behind his Open Championship charge at Birkdale
Key keywords: Sam Burns wife, Caroline Burns, 2024 Open Championship, Royal Birkdale, Sam Burns Open charge, PGA Tour spouses, golf partner support, professional golf families
As Sam Burns continues his breakout run at the 2024 Open Championship hosted at Royal Birkdale, golf fans across the globe are growing curious about the consistent, supportive figure spotted in his gallery every round: his wife, Caroline Burns. The pair first connected as undergraduate students at Louisiana State University, where Sam emerged as a star player on the men’s varsity golf team, and Caroline pursued a degree in mass communication with a focus on sports marketing. They began dating in 2017, just months before Sam announced his decision to turn professional, and exchanged vows in a private, intimate ceremony in their home state of Louisiana in 2019, attended only by close friends, family, and a handful of Sam’s college golf teammates.
Unlike many high-profile sports spouses who maintain active public social media profiles, Caroline has intentionally kept a low profile over the years, rarely sharing personal content online and almost never speaking to media outlets. Those close to the couple confirm she is the unspoken backbone of Sam’s successful PGA Tour career, handling nearly all off-course logistics from travel scheduling, sponsor contract coordination, and personal family arrangements, so Sam can dedicate his full attention to training and competition during tournament weeks. For the 2024 Open at Birkdale, Caroline arrived three days ahead of the first round alongside Sam, walking every practice round with him, taking detailed notes on wind patterns and tricky pin positions on the challenging links course, and even sitting in on pre-tournament strategy sessions with Sam’s caddie and swing coach.
Over the course of Sam’s five-year PGA Tour career, which has included five official tour wins and back-to-back spots on the 2022 and 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup teams, Caroline has been present for every single one of his victories, waiting for him just off the 18th green with a hug and a small celebratory toast. Sam has repeatedly cited Caroline as his biggest motivator in post-win press conferences, noting that her calm, unflappable energy helps him stay grounded even during the highest-pressure moments on the course. As Sam heads into the weekend at Birkdale sitting just two shots off the lead, fans have already spotted Caroline walking every hole of his rounds, wearing his signature red team cap and cheering him on through every birdie and bounce back from bogey. When asked about her impact on his Open charge earlier this week, Sam told reporters, “I don’t get to this position without her. She handles all the unglamorous, hard work that no one sees, so I can just show up and play the game I love. Having her here this week makes all the stress of a major championship feel so much lighter.”
Featured Comments
@GolfLover2024: I’ve been following Sam’s career since his LSU days, and Caroline is always right there in the background, never seeking attention but clearly his biggest fan. It’s so nice to see her get some recognition for all the work she puts in behind the scenes! I’m rooting for Sam to take home the Claret Jug this weekend for both of them.
@SportsIndustryInsider: People always fixate on pro athletes’ raw talent, but so few acknowledge the partners who sacrifice their own career goals to support them. Caroline gave up a promising full-time sports marketing job in Baton Rouge to travel the PGA Tour full time with Sam, and that level of quiet commitment is a huge part of why he’s been such a consistent player over the years. It’s great to see their partnership thriving on such a big stage.
@BirkdaleLocal2024: I was volunteering at the course for the first two rounds, and I saw Caroline walking every hole alongside Sam’s coach, scribbling notes the entire time. She’s not just a spectator, she’s a core part of his support team. No wonder he’s playing so well this week! I can’t wait to see them celebrate if he takes the win on Sunday.