By Martyn Herman
SOUTHPORT, England, July 18 (Reuters) - American Sam Burns did not even expect to be playing at the 154th British Open with his pregnant wife Caroline's due date two days before the start of the championship at Royal Birkdale.
But daughter Belle arrived early, Burns caught the plane and with a two-shot lead heading into Sunday's fourth round he could celebrate with his first major triumph.
After a disappointing opening round of three-over 73, the 29-year-old has ripped up the Royal
Birkdale course with a men's major record-equalling 62 on Friday and a 65 on Saturday.
"This golf tournament was honestly so far off of my radar and expectations of playing," Burns, who finished runner-up at the U.S. Open this year, told reporters.
"I mean, Caroline's due date was Tuesday this week. She was like four days late with our son. I just didn't think there was any possible way, and little Belle had different plans for us."
Even when his daughter arrived early, Burns was not sure about leaving his family but his wife intervened.
"I wasn't thinking much about it. Caroline was kind of like, so what are you thinking for next week? I was like, I don't know. Should we talk about it? She was like, yeah," he said.
"Ultimately she's the one that really encouraged me to come over and play. She basically said I've got this at home. Go over there and give it your best, and here we are."
Burns finished bogey, bogey, bogey on Thursday and it looked as though he might be booking an early return ticket back to Louisiana. But some more words of wisdom from his wife helped him clear his mind for a challenge for the Claret Jug.
"I was pretty upset. That's an understatement," Burns, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, said. "Talked to Caroline, texted with her, and she basically told me like, you know, you're over there, and I'm good at home.
"You need to be where your feet are. I think that was really what I needed to hear in that moment. It's probably what I didn't want to hear, but I needed to hear it.
"I really think she was the one that kind of gave me that encouragement that I needed and kind of a kick in the butt."
He said he is now counting down the days until he returns, but first there is a job to be done on Sunday when he must keep the chasing pack at bay.
"I haven't looked at the leaderboard. I think ultimately it comes down to I can't control anything anyone else does," he said. "Someone's going to go out and play a great round of golf tomorrow, maybe a few people. It's pretty much a given. That happens every single week.
"So I'm going to have to do the same. I'm going to have to go out and execute. Ultimately whatever happens, I know that I can accept the outcome, and life's going to move on. I'll get to go home and see my family. I hope I'm taking some hardware with me, but if I'm not, that's fine too."
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
