ROME, Italy — Sam Burns’ most nervous Ryder Cup moment may have come before he even arrived to Italy and played a hole at Marco Simone.
Burns had a friend, with a straight-edge razor in hand, carve out the initials “USA’’ into the side of his head, accentuating the aggressive mullet he’s been growing out for a while.
Burns’ hair-raising style is all the rage inside the U.S. Ryder Cup team room, as well as all over social media.
“Yeah, Sam has got a nice Kentucky waterfall going,’’ teammate Brooks Koepka said Wednesday with a smirk. “It’s pretty solid, although the ‘USA’ that’s inscribed in the side of his head, I don’t know if he was doing that looking in a mirror, because it’s not … ‘USA’ doesn’t look the best. But it makes it even better, I think. It definitely classes it up a little bit.’’
When Burns was asked Wednesday when his last haircut was, he said with a smile: “I’ve gotten lots of haircuts the last few months … just I haven’t cut the back. I’ve just got to grow it while I still have it. I’m not going to have it forever.’’
Burns’ U.S. team captain Zach Johnson, who’s folilclly challenged, joked the other day he “had no idea’’ Burns was doing the “USA’’ hair stunt.
“He’s got great hair,’’ Johnson said of one of his six captain’s picks. “I mean, I’d do it if I could do it. I just don’t have any hair to do it.’’
Asked who did the “USA’’ art work, Burns said: “A buddy of mine.’’
Asked if he did it with a knife, Burns said: “He did it with a straight razor. I wasn’t that nervous. The worst thing that could happen was I get a little nick.’’
Burns has been taking the attention from the outside world and the ribbing he’s getting from teammates inside the team room in stride.
“When you start shaving things into the side of your head, you’re kind of asking for it, I guess,’’ he said. “But it’s been fun.’’
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