AVONDALE, La. — The Zurich Classic tees off on Thursday in Avondale, and Louisiana native Sam Burns is certainly a fan favorite.
The Shreveport native was a star at Louisiana State University, a top player in college golf as a sophomore and has been thriving since turning pro. About a month ago, Burns earned his fifth career win on the PGA Tour at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin. Now he is teaming up with Bill Horschel again in the Zurich Classic.
One Northshore family will certainly be at the tournament cheering him on. They shared their story with WWL-TV about how Burns' actions off the course helped their family heal.
Parker Greene is a Mandeville seventh grader who spends most of his time on the golf course or baseball diamond. Burns is one of his favorite athletes. Green has played in Burns' junior four-ball championship for the past few years, so he has seen him around the course. But in December, he got to meet the PGA star.
"I was surprised. I didn't know he was there," Greene said.
Greene was so star struck that he could barely talk.
"I asked him what it takes to go professional and stuff like what he shot whenever he was my age," Greene said.
The Fire
When Green met Burns, the family were in north Louisiana visiting family for the Christmas holidays and playing a round of golf at Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant, which is Burns' home course. But later that afternoon, the family got some horrible news.
"When my brother called me and said that your house is on fire, my reaction was I literally wanted to vomit," said Parker's father, Mike Greene.
Firefighters believe a lithium battery in a golf cart in the Greene's garage overcharged and essentially turned into a giant blow torch. The five-alarm fire took about eight hours to put out and the family's home was deemed a total loss.
"I really felt like God lifted me up at that point and said, 'Look. Everything's fine. What's most important is here with you now,'" Mike said.
The Call
The Greenes traveled home the next day to see the damage and regroup. Meanwhile, Burns heard about the fire and arrange to call Parker to check on him.
"Yeah, I couldn't even talk," Greene said. "I wished I said a bunch more stuff, but I couldn't even think, I was too excited."
"Parker was so star struck when he got the phone call, so he didn't say much," _ said. "And I'm sure on Sam's end it sounded like an unappreciative kid, but it really wasn't. He was just in awe that Sam took time out of his day to call him."
A phone call, a simple gesture, was exactly what this family needed.
"It probably meant more to me and Laura that he took the time to call him than it did to Parker," Mike said. "And I'm sure when Sam has kids he'll understand."
The only things that Parker, his sister Camille and their parents had left were the items they had packed with them. Days after Christmas, all their presents were gone too. Burns told Greene that he would send him some new gear to get him back out on the course.
"Everyday Parker got home from school and was like, 'Has my package arrived yet? Has my package arrived yet?'" Mike said. "It came in one package. The package was humungous."
Star athletes often don't realize the full impact that their actions, big or small, have on people. If you're watching the Zurich Classic this weekend, pull for the guy with a big swing and an even bigger heart.
"He's just a good person with a good heart to take the time that he did, and he called my son when he need it," Mike said. "Yeah, root for a guy like that!"
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