Like any savvy patient who gets a bad diagnosis, Sam Burns wanted a second opinion. When his drive on Oakmont’s par-4 15th hole stayed on the fairway next to the first cut, he seemed to catch a good break. But when Burns arrived at the ball, it looked and felt to him that it was sitting in standing water from the day’s earlier heavy rain storm.

When Sam Burns stood over his tee shot on the 15th hole in the final round of the U.S. Open, he was in a tie for the lead. When he walked off the green, he was two shots back and essentially out of contention. What transpired in between is a questionable ruling that very much led to the double bogey Burns carded on the hole.

Sam Burns revealed the role that his friend, Scottie Scheffler, has played in his career, including his status as the 54-hole leader of the 2025 U.S. Open.

It just showed a clever bit of awareness and foresight. In the heat of the pressure and the pouring rain, Burns stopped himself from making a potentially very costly error. It was a small moment, but the kind of decision that wins U.S. Opens.

Sam Burns has the lead in the U.S. Open on a rain-soaked Oakmont course and faces his biggest test. The 28-year-old from Louisiana has never contended in 20 previous majors.

Burns, statistically the world's best putter, hooped a clutch par save to shoot 65 Friday at Oakmont and enter this U.S. Open weekend at 3 under.

Saturday was moving day at the US Open and Adam Scott took that to heart, charging up the leaderboard and ending the day a shot behind leader Sam Burns.

Burns, a 28-year-old from Louisiana, has five PGA Tour titles, the last one more than two years ago. Despite that, he leads the quartet under par through 54 holes.

Sam Burns entered the final round of the 2025 U.S. Open in the lead, and it appeared he might be the only player to survive Oakmont. That was not the case.