As Sam Burns rises at the 2026 Masters, confusion surrounding his relationship with the legendary Arnold Palmer is resurfacing. The rumor tends to gain traction whenever Burns climbs the leaderboard, especially at iconic events like the U.S. Open or the Masters Tournament. But is he really the grandson of the 62x PGA Tour winner?
There is no family connection between Sam Burns and Arnold Palmer. This confusion stems from frequent mix-ups with Sam Saunders, who is Palmer’s actual grandson through his daughter Amy. Saunders himself is a professional golfer, which strengthens the wrong belief. However, he is not currently playing professional golf. Instead, he transitioned into roles within the Arnold Palmer legacy, including work with the Arnold Palmer Group.
Burns, on the other hand, comes from Shreveport, Louisiana. He built his own path through college golf at LSU before turning professional in 2017. His rise on the PGA Tour has kept him in the spotlight, which fuels the mistaken identity.
Despite the shared first name and profession, their backgrounds and family ties are entirely different.
This is a developing story…
