PGA Tour star set to miss Open Championship at Royal Birkdale following U.S. Open heartbreak

In a surprising development following his career-best finish at the U.S. Open, Sam Burns is expected to miss next month's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, dealing a major blow to one of golf's hottest players.

The 29-year-old American will reportedly not travel to England for the final men's major of the season, which takes place from 16-19 July, as he prepares to welcome the birth of his second child with wife Caroline.

The update was revealed by Burns' mother, Beth, during an interview with The Athletic following the conclusion of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills on Sunday.

Burns came agonisingly close to capturing his maiden major title, finishing runner-up to Wyndham Clark after a thrilling final round.

A brilliant closing 67 left Burns at three-under par for the tournament, just one shot behind Clark's winning total of four-under par. 

The win marked the second U.S. Open title of Clark's career having also prevailed at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023. 

It was a painful near-miss for Burns, who narrowly failed to force a playoff after missing birdie opportunities from nine feet on the 17th and 15 feet on the 18th.

The result nevertheless marked a significant milestone in Burns' career. 

His second-place finish was the best result of his 25 major championship appearances and continued an impressive run in golf's biggest events. 

Burns has now recorded four top-10 finishes in his last nine majors and climbed from 30th to 15th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Despite the career-defining performance, Burns struggled to hide his emotions after coming so close to winning his national open. 

Knowing exactly what was at stake throughout the final round, Burns admitted the significance of competing for a major title on Father's Day added an extra layer of meaning.

"It's just not very often we have a chance to win a major on Father's Day," Burns said. 

"I think just the weight of that and knowing what that memory could have been like, it would have been really special."

Burns became emotional while reflecting on the missed opportunity, with both his father Todd and his two-year-old son Bear alongside him on one of the most memorable days of his career.

Watch Burns' reaction here: 

Burns' final-round 67 was the second-lowest score posted on Sunday and earned him $2.43 million in prize money, the record amount of his major career. 

Yet the story of his week at Shinnecock Hills will ultimately be defined as much by what might have been as what he achieved.

After birdies on four of his opening eight holes and another at the par-5 16th, Burns briefly looked capable of completing a remarkable charge to the title, having started the day seven shots behind Clark. 

Instead, missed chances for birdie on 17 and on 18 left him wondering what could have been, a familiar feeling after his controversial setback at last year's U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Why is Sam Burns set to miss The Open?

After the U.S. Open concluded, Burns' mother Beth told The Athletic that her son's major campaign is now likely over for 2026. 

While many of the world's leading players will head to Royal Birkdale in pursuit of the famous Claret Jug next month, five-time PGA Tour winner Burns is expected to remain at home as he prepares for the arrival of his new baby.

"He won't go to Europe," Beth said of her son missing The Open. 

"This is his last major. They're going to go home and have a baby."

Burns has played in the last five Open Championships, with a best finish of tied 31st at Royal Troon in 2024. 

If Burns does indeed skip the 154th Open as expected, his heartbreaking near-miss at Shinnecock Hills will stand as his final major appearance of the season. 

Given the form he has shown in recent months, including a tie for seventh at The Masters and now a runner-up finish at the U.S. Open, the decision underlines just how important family remains despite the lure of major glory.

For Burns, the wait for a first major title will continue. It now appears that wait could stretch until Augusta National in April 2027.