SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Sam Burns watched Wyndham Clark win his second U.S. Open the same way everyone else did, on a television. As Burns tapped in to add Shinnecock to a resume that already includes LACC, Burns hit little chip shots in the general direction of an enormous screen off to the left side of the range.

As soon as he knew it was over, he packed up his bag and walked, in a bit of a daze, toward his family who was waiting just outside a tiny little structure at the very top of the range. His father, Todd, hobbled by a knee brace, was the first to greet him.

As they walked away, Todd slipped his hand on the shoulder of his 29-year-old son — weeks away from having a second child of his own — and did what he’s been doing for the last two decades, encouraged him and loved on him despite the outcome of the tournament.

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Sunday at the U.S. Open started with a surprise.

Junior wunderkind Miles Russell — who was born in 2008 and is just a few years out of being able to use a Charlie Golf Co. bag — told his mom and a couple buddies about a plan he’d cooked up for Sunday. He did not disclose it to anyone else.

On the 18th fairway, Russell planned to surprise his dad, Joe, by letting him put on the caddie bib and carry his clubs up to the 72nd green. He said a friend from back home, Steve Wheatcroft, did something similar at the 2010 U.S. Open and encouraged him to have that moment with his father.

“He was wearing sunglasses,” Russell said of his dad after he looped the 200 or so yards. “It was probably a good thing he was wearing sunglasses. [He was] maybe a little bit [emotional].”

As I watched — coincidentally while on the phone with my own dad and granddad! — I thought of my four kids at home. It feels so much better than it seems like it should to watch your kids find successes like these, to see them learn to be good at a given skill or activity. It feels — and I realize this is nonsensical to anyone who doesn’t have kids — somehow better than achieving something on your own.

Miles said his dad didn’t say much because he was too busy taking it all in. And when I spoke to the Russell family briefly after their round, Joe was clearly on could nine. A true “How did I get here, and how is this happening?” moment.

We’ll get back to Burns, I promise.

But first … we need to address how weird it is that I haven’t yet mentioned the actual winner of this golf tournament. Sunday was among the stranger days I’ve ever attended at a major championship. I knew the crowds would be extremely pro-Scottie, but from the jump, it was clear that they were more juiced up about being anti-Wyndham.

Loud cheers when he missed greens. Eruptions for Scottie when he made par. Tepid — think mocking golf clap — applause when Wyndham matched him. Folks screaming, “Get in the bunker” from the first hole to the last. This is maybe expected at a U.S. Open for, say, a European Ryder Cupper like Sergio Garcia or Ian Poulter. But for an American Ryder Cupper at his home Open? I’ve never experienced anything like it.

When Wyndham tapped in for 276 to beat Burns by one, to call the response mild would have been wildly overstating how excited everyone was. The crowds just … got up and left the golf course. The silence said it all.

There are reasons for all of this, of course, and I wrote about all of them on Sunday morning. But in the end, there was Wyndham’s dad waiting for him.

Their relationship has reportedly not always been all that great — which might explain some things — but as a dad, I’m sure he was ready to take on the entirety of Long Island in defense of his son, who he enthusiastically embraced.

“He's never been there to see me win,” said Clark. “Not only that, to finally have him there for a win is amazing, but especially on Father's Day. I know in 2023 it was obviously a great Father's Day present for him, but I know he wanted to be there here in person.”

So we know what it feels like to watch your kid thrive, but what does it feel like to watch your kid get his heart ripped out and stomped on in front of the entire world?

For the second year in a row.

Last year, Burns scuffled home after leading by one going into the final round at Oakmont. He played the last four holes in 3 over. He said on Sunday that he felt like he lost that U.S. Open.

This time around, he was chasing. All day he was chasing. He chased and chased and made the four of his life on the 16th hole before sticking his approach on 17 to 10 feet. That was promptly followed by one of the weaker birdie putts imaginable in that situation.

Burns regrouped and gave himself 16 feet, 5 inches on the 72nd hole to get to 4 under and almost certainly a good look at a playoff. I was right down the line of the putt, which was almost the exact same look that playing partner Keith Mitchell had just seconds before. Mitchell’s seemed to stay straight on the right edge and maybe even move a bit to the left. Burns’ started left edge … and somehow seemed to move to the right.

The burned edge took him to his knees, and it felt like he took everyone in attendance with him. Burns waited and hoped and hit balls and watched. But deep down, he seemed to know what we all sensed when he burned that edge on 18: It wasn’t enough.

“Golf is so dumb.”

-Me
-Also Harry Higgs on Friday when he was in the top five at the halfway point.

If Burns gets an afternoon tee time on Thursday or Wyndham Clark does not, perhaps Wyndham doesn’t clip him by one. You’re out there grinding your ass off for months and months and years that turn into decades, and then there’s a two-hour fog delay on a Thursday morning, and you probably lose the U.S. Open because of that.

Golf is so dumb.

Trophies matter greatly because if there weren’t any trophies then none of this would mean anything, and we wouldn’t get to talk about it and argue about it for a living. If there were no trophies, then dogged competitor, Sam Burns, would be doing something else entirely.

“I was fortunate to grow up with some kids that were much better players than me, and I hated losing to them,” said Burns.

“That's kind of how I just naturally fell in love with the game. My parents never pushed me to practice, never pushed me to play tournaments, never told me I needed to go work on something. They just kind of allowed me to follow my dreams and let me figure out why I love the game on my own.”

That is great life advice for parents, and it’s also a big reason why Burns has five PGA Tour wins and is a four-time Presidents/Ryder Cupper.

The trophy Mike Whan hands out matters. Winning matters. Beating the other 155 matters a great deal.

But it doesn’t matter most. In different ways, all three of these players learned a version of that lesson on Sunday at Shinnecock Hills. All three felt the weight of contending for a United States Open alongside the joy of a father who delights in his child.

So finally … I asked Burns what his dad told him after the round.

“He said he was really proud,” said Burns just before the entire week — maybe his entire life — got caught in his throat.

The silence once again said it all.

“Just said he was proud, and I think we both knew how special it could have been for Father's Day, but I know he's proud.”

Fifty U.S. Open wins cannot replace the tremendous fulfillment of knowing your father is proud of you. That no matter whether you warred and triumphed or warred and failed, that he loves you. And while Burns was rightfully devastated not to win in this week at this place, one day all of that will matter very little.

It matters a lot now, and it should. But one day it won’t matter at all. One day, the baby he’s about to have in three weeks will be an adult and will be old enough to impart to his or her own kids the lessons and wisdom Burns’ parents imparted to him.

The wisdom that you are beloved, not for what you accomplish but because you are the child of a father who cares. Nothing could be more powerful. Nothing could be more overwhelming. Nothing could be more beautiful than that.

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