Who is Sam Burns' wife? Meet Caroline, the woman behind his Open Championship charge at Birkdale

While Sam Burns is just one round away from potentially winning the first major of his career at the 154th Open Championship, many golf fans are just as curious about the woman who has been alongside him throughout his journey.

Burns, 29, heads into Sunday's final round at Royal Birkdale holding a two-shot advantage, putting himself within touching distance of the Claret Jug after several painful near-misses in golf's biggest championships. 

But had circumstances unfolded slightly differently, the five-time PGA Tour winner would never have made the trip to England at all.

The reason? His wife, Caroline.

With the couple expecting their second child just days before The Open, Burns had every intention of remaining at home in Shreveport, Louisiana, rather than crossing the Atlantic to compete. 

Instead, daughter Belle arrived earlier than expected on July 3, giving Burns the opportunity to travel to Southport after all.

Even then, it was Caroline who convinced him to go.

Speaking after moving into the 54-hole lead, Burns revealed that his wife encouraged him to chase his dream while she stayed at home with their growing family.

"She basically said, 'I've got this at home. Go over there and give it your best.'"

It's a decision that has worked out perfectly so far, with Burns now just 18 holes away from capturing the first major title of his career.

Burns' wife and two children are not on site at Royal Birkdale, but are watching on from home in Choudrant, Louisiana.

Who is Sam Burns' wife?

Sam Burns is married to Caroline Campbell, his childhood sweetheart and long-time partner.

Their story stretches back more than two decades. 

The pair first met in church in Shreveport, Louisiana, when they were just five years old, long before Burns became one of the PGA Tour's biggest stars.

Although they attended different high schools, they remained close friends before beginning a relationship while studying at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Burns has often spoken about how certain he was that Caroline was "the one".

"I always kinda knew she was the one," he once said during an interview with WJCL.

When did Sam and Caroline get married?

After dating for around five years, Burns proposed during the 2019 RBC Heritage, the PGA Tour event played immediately after The Masters.

Before getting down on one knee, Burns asked Caroline's father for permission to marry her — a gesture that reflected the close family values shared by both families.

The couple announced their engagement on Instagram before later tying the knot, with Caroline becoming a familiar face supporting her husband at tournaments around the world.

Following the engagement, Burns said: "I hope that we'll have many years together and grow old together and get to enjoy a lot of fun things together."

Do Sam Burns and his wife have children?

Yes.

Sam and Caroline are now parents to two children.

Their son, Bear, was born in 2023, while daughter Belle arrived on July 3, 2026, just weeks before The Open Championship.

Belle's early arrival ended up playing a huge role in Burns' decision to compete in England.

Burns had originally planned to skip both the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship in order to remain with his family for the birth.

His own mother even revealed after his heartbreaking runner-up finish at the 2026 U.S. Open that Europe was unlikely to feature in his schedule.

Burns did indeed skip the Scottish Open, but once Belle arrived safely, Caroline urged him to travel to Royal Birkdale.

Few could have imagined the decision would leave him on the brink of major championship glory.

Who is Caroline Burns?

Caroline largely keeps her life away from the spotlight.

Born on 8 April 1996, she also grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, alongside two brothers.

She attended C.E. Byrd High School, where she enjoyed athletics and competed in track and field before later enrolling at Louisiana State University.

Throughout Burns' professional career, Caroline has regularly been seen walking fairways, celebrating victories and offering support during both the highs and lows of life on tour.

A close-knit golfing friendship

The Burns family also shares a close friendship with another of golf's biggest couples.

Sam and Caroline are good friends with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and his wife Meredith, with the two families often spending time together away from tournament golf.

Their friendship has become one of the strongest relationships on the PGA Tour, particularly as both couples have welcomed young children over the past few years.

The perfect response after U.S. Open heartbreak

Burns arrived at Royal Birkdale carrying the confidence of some outstanding recent golf, even if his last major appearance ended in disappointment.

At last month's U.S. Open, Burns finished agonisingly close to lifting his maiden major trophy before falling just one shot short of eventual winner Wyndham Clark, who etched his name on the trophy for the second time in his career. 

Speaking afterwards, Burns became emotional while reflecting on the support of his father, Todd, who told him how proud he was despite the narrow defeat on Father's Day. 

Rather than allowing that setback to define him though, Burns has responded in spectacular fashion.

A superb third-round 65 followed a sensational 62 on Friday, giving him the lowest consecutive 36-hole total ever recorded in a men's major championship.

Now sitting at 10-under-par, Burns holds a two-shot lead over Ryan Fox and Si Woo Kim heading into Sunday's final round, while superstars including Bryson DeChambeau, Ludvig Åberg and Scheffler remain within striking distance.

Whether Burns goes on to lift the Claret Jug remains to be seen.

One thing is already certain, however: he almost wasn't there.

Had Belle not arrived early — and had Caroline not encouraged him to board the flight to England — Burns would have been watching The Open from home instead of standing on the verge of becoming a major champion.