Sam Burns turned professional in 2017 before joining the PGA Tour in 2019, and throughout his time on the circuit, he’s had one caddie – Travis Perkins. Here is the story so far for the Ohio bagman.
Since making his Tour debut, Burns has steadily established himself as one of the world's best players with a series of impressive finishes, and throughout his time on the circuit, he has had compatriot Perkins by his side.
Perkins, who hails from Lewis Center in Ohio, grew up with a love for golf, and counted Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples as childhood heroes, so it's hardly surprising that he is a talented player in his own right.
He played for Florida Southern College before receiving his PGA Tour card in 2008. Despite making three cuts in the 2008 season, including a T61 in his home state at the Memorial Tournament, Perkins struggled to maintain his status.
As a result, in 2011 he teamed up with his friend, Kris Blanks, to caddie for him. However, it was when caddying for DA Points that Perkins saw significant success, particularly with Points’ win at the 2013 Shell Houston Open.
Perkins, who has also caddied for Scott Piercy, Aaron Wise, Brandt Snedeker and Cameron Tringale, teamed up with Burns when he turned professional four years later, and the pair have barely looked back since.
After Burns’ maiden PGA Tour win in the 2021 Valspar Championship, Perkins was full of praise for Sam, saying: “Sam played amazing golf for 72 holes. He putted unbelievably. It made my job easy – just get him on the green.”
With Perkins' assistance, Burns's career has kicked on from there. He claimed his second PGA Tour title that October at the Sanderson Farms Championship, and enjoyed two more wins in 2022. He followed that with victory at the 2023 WGC-Match Play at Austin Country Club.
It got even better for Burns when he was picked as a wildcard for the US Ryder Cup team, where he had an overall record of 1-2-0 as the Europeans ultimately claimed victory at Marco Simone.
Nowadays, Burns is a regular in the world's top 30, and he headed into the final round of the 2024 Open at Royal Troon eyeing his maiden Major title, just one shot behind overnight leader Billy Horschel.
Burns' success is in no small part down to Perkins, and an insight into his abilities came in a 2021 article in The Ledger, where a former college teammate of Perkins said: “He really knows the game. I’m not surprised he is so successful as a caddy. Great players need a caddy who is detailed and calculated with a strong work ethic. He has all of those. Bottom line - he has everything to partner well with world class PGA Players.”
As Burns' career continues to yield success with Perkins alongside him, those words remain as accurate as ever.
How Much Does Sam Burns’ Caddie Make?
Heading into the 2024 Open, Burns had career earnings of over $25m. While caddies typically earn 10% of the prize money for a win, their share is often between 5% and 7% for other finishes. From Burns' five career wins alone, it is likely Perkins earned around $900,000, while his overall earnings from his time with Burns on the PGA Tour are likely to have earned him approaching $2m.
