When Sam Saunders announced his retirement from professional golf in 2024 after a 15-year career, the grandson of Arnold Palmer wasn’t exactly sure what would come next, but he knew one thing — he wasn’t leaving golf.
“I’m excited for the next chapter in my life,” Saunders told Golfweek at the time, adding that he would “always be involved in this great game of golf that has given me so much.”
Two years later, that next chapter continues to take shape, and it’s bringing Saunders back to a familiar place.
Saunders, now 39, will captain Team USA at the Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship, which returns to Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas, Nov. 11-14. The Olympic-style competition features 80 of the world’s top amateurs representing
20 countries and six continents.
For Saunders, it’s a full-circle assignment. He represented the U.S. at The Spirit in 2005 alongside Jamie Lovemark, Amanda McCurdy and Paige Mackenzie, with the Americans finishing tied for second with South Africa. Now, 21 years later, he’ll return to lead a U.S. team loaded with four of the country’s best amateurs.
“Playing in The Spirit in 2005 was one of the highlights of my amateur career, and it’s incredibly special to now return as Captain of Team USA,” Saunders said. “I’ve seen firsthand what this championship means to the players who compete here, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead Team USA.”
It’s another way Saunders has remained connected to the game since walking away from professional competition.
After making more than 150 career starts across the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, Saunders joined the Arnold Palmer Group in November 2024 as vice president of partnerships. The organization works to build upon Palmer’s legacy and philanthropic efforts, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Arnold and Winnie Palmer Foundation and Arnold Palmer Cup.
“It’s been a learning process,” Saunders told Golfweek. “We have so many good things going between the tournament, Arnold and Winnie Palmer Foundation and the Arnold Palmer Cup. We have some exciting things coming in Latrobe.”
The transition also gave Saunders something professional golf rarely did.
“I played an individual sport my whole life, so for me to be part of a team and help in any way that I can to help these great people that are working for the organization has been pretty cool,” he said.
He’ll get another taste of the team environment at Whispering Pines.
This won’t be Saunders’ first return to The Spirit since playing in 2005. He came back in 2019 as an ambassador for the Spirit Charity Challenge, which featured Spirit alumni playing for $100,000 for their selected charities. He succeeds Nathan Smith, who served as Team USA captain in 2024. Saunders will be assisted by Texas Golf Hall of Fame executive director Alli Jarrett.
The Spirit features teams of two men and two women competing over 54 holes of four-ball stroke play in three concurrent competitions: international team, men’s team and women’s team. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in each.
For Saunders, though, the assignment carries a little more meaning. More than two decades after wearing the colors himself, he’ll return to Whispering Pines with a different role and a new chapter in golf well underway.
Tim Schmitt is Golfweek's managing editor.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Sam Saunders, grandson of Arnold Palmer, returns to lead Team USA at The Spirit
