MEMPHIS — The heat might have finally broken Sam Burns.
Despite being near the top of the leaderboard midway through the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the LSU alum took some frustrations out on his clubs after a shanked drive off the tee on No. 9 during Saturday’s third round of the opener of the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Burns, who surged to 10 under through two rounds, was 12 under when he teed it up on the ninth hole and then slammed his driver into the turf, breaking head of the driver.
According to the USGA, “a player is not allowed to replace a damaged club, except when it is damaged during the round by an outside influence or natural forces, and/or by someone other than the player or his or her caddie.”
After an errant tee shot on No. 9, Sam Burns breaks his driver and will be without it for the back nine.
With the double bogey, he is now 4 shots back (solo 3rd). pic.twitter.com/Nm28b94YeM
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 17, 2024
So that meant Burns was be stuck without the use of his driver for the remaining nine holes of his third round.