Friendship on the greens brings to mind a quote from the great C.S. Lewis: “Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” Golf has given us great examples for the same, such as Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns. The two star golfers have shared similar highs and lows. In 2022, after Burns missed two back-to-back cuts, Scheffler reassured him, saying he had been through the same, and with time, you get over it. And that’s what friends do, they lift you up.

But what happens when they have to compete against each other? Or, worse, when a Ryder Cup’s (USA) captain has to choose between the two? Well, Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler have lived that reality. Now, relaxed about the incident, the 5x PGA Tour winner, Burns, sat down for an interview on the Subpar podcast with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz to discuss it. Well, to put it simply, he called the experience “weird.”

The host pointed out that Burns has been on both sides of being chosen and passed over. What was that like in 2021? “What was it like getting that phone call from Strick saying that you weren’t going to be on the team?”

Burns laughed and replied, “Yeah, I mean clearly they made the wrong decision with Scotty, as displayed the last couple of years.” But on a more serious note, he said, “It’s weird when you have one of your close friends and it comes down to both of you. Because you feel both sides of that, in the sense that you want what’s best for your friend, but you also want to be on that team yourself.”

For those who don’t know, Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler’s friendship goes way back, with their families being close to each other as well. That closeness, combined with mixed emotions, made the situation even more tense. So to clear things up after the selection news, Burns, Scheffler, and their wives—Caroline, Meredith got on a call. “It was just like these weird emotions of like, man, I’m really sad, but like also I’m happy for him and Meredith.“

But what if it was someone else? Burns says then he would have been “Just more disappointed.” Despite his loss, Burns did feel that Scheffler was the better choice. “But I feel like he was more than deserving to be there. He, obviously, played great.”

So, how do these two friends maintain their relationship both on and off the greens?

World of golf, Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler

While they have many things in common, faith ties them together closely. Their friendship stems from their mutual faith in Jesus Christ. Since 2020, they have shared rental houses, attended the Tour’s Bible study, and encouraged each other with pep talks.

Scottie Scheffler has also spoken about their friendship publicly at the WM Phoenix Open, “There’s so much emphasis and pressure, and you’ve dreamed of this stuff for so long. It’s really weird. And to have a friend to go through that with was great.” Competition can be tough, especially when they’re facing off against each other. Both Burns and Scheffler tied for T3 at the Phoenix Open, but their friendship remains as strong as ever.

And that’s why we can always find cheeky moments between the two. Take last year’s Tour Championship, for example. After 36 holes, Scottie Scheffler was on a mission to win. Meanwhile, his best friend, Sam Burns was ten strokes behind him in the 7th position. Despite the stakes, Burns did not shy away from roasting Scheffler after he almost finished a bogey-free Friday, except for that one slip-up on the 13th hole. Standing next to Kevin Kisner and Smylie Kaufman, Burns said, “This guy’s terrible.” This hilarious moment quickly made rounds on the internet, showing us a glimpse of their lighthearted bond.

It comes as no surprise as Burns has taken an oath to always put the star golfer in his place. Two years ago, Scheffler talked about their friendship, saying, “If my head actually gets too big, he will be the first to say, ‘You’re being a real jackwagon.’” To which Burns cheekily replied, “I would love to.”

Even their wives are close to each other, and both couples share a peaceful bond. Looking at friendships like these, what’s your opinion on friendships on the ground?