SOUTHPORT, England — If we’re being realistic, Sam Burns deserves to win the 154th British Open on Sunday at Royal Birkdale. 

First, he followed a second-round record-tying 62 on Friday with a third-round 65 on Saturday, which is a feat. 

Second, he did so while paired with Bryson DeChambeau, who has become a living, breathing, walking sideshow at the Open this week. 

Because he’s been the best, most consistent player in the field that began with 156 players, Burns will take a two-shot lead into Sunday’s final round at 10 under par. 

Ryan Fox, who posted a 62 early in the day Saturday, is 8 under as is Si Woo Kim, who shot 67. 

Lucas Herbert, who shot 62 on Friday and 71 on Saturday, is 7 under along with Ryan Gerard, who shot 69. 

DeChambeau, Ludvig Åberg and Jackson Suber are four back at 6 under.

Tommy Fleetwood, the hometown hero, is 5 under and not out of it. 

But this day — the last two days really — belonged to Burns, the quiet Louisiana native who hadn’t even planned to play this week because his wife, Caroline, had given birth to their daughter, Belle, on July 3. 

“This golf tournament was honestly so far off of my radar and expectations of playing,’’ Burns said. “I mean, Caroline’s due date was Tuesday this week. She was like four days late with our son. I just didn’t think there was any possible way, and little Belle had different plans for us. 

“Even after she was born, after a couple of days I wasn’t thinking much about it. Caroline was kind of like, ‘So, what are you thinking for next week?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know. Should we talk about it?’ 

“Ultimately, she’s the one that really encouraged me to come over and play. She basically said, ‘I’ve got this at home. Go over there and give it your best.’ 

“And here we are.’’ 

The rest of the field probably wishes Burns stayed home with his wife and newborn this week. 

It probably hopes he hadn’t consulted his wife after a poor finish to his opening round, which ended in three consecutive bogeys and a 3-over 73. 

“After finishing bogey, bogey, bogey on Thursday, I was pretty upset — that’s an understatement,’’ Burns said. “I talked to Caroline, texted with her, and she basically told me, like, ‘You’re over there, and I’m good at home. We’re good. You need to be where your feet are.’ 

“I think that was really what I needed to hear in that moment. I came out Friday and had nothing to lose. I feel like my game was in a good place.’’ 

Burns has been close in recent majors. He seemingly had control of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, but faltered after a rain delay in the final round. 

In last month’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock, he was right there in the final round, chasing eventual winner Wyndham Clark on the back nine, but could not hole any crucial putts. He walked off the 18th green in tears after that one. 

Burns has rationalized his failures in recent majors with a chance to win. And he credited his close friend Scottie Scheffler, with whom he plays all the time. 

“At some of these golf courses where you’re penalized a little bit more than a typical [PGA] Tour golf course we play, I think I hadn’t quite learned that the hard way yet,’’ Burns said. “It took a bit longer for me. It helped that I got to play a lot of golf with the best player on the planet [Scheffler] and kind of watch what he does. 

“He’s far and beyond the best person that does that. He makes so few mistakes, and he doesn’t take on unnecessary risks very often, if ever, and seems to always hit the correct shot in the moment. 

“It wasn’t like I asked him about it or we talked a lot about it. It was just me observing. I think that had a pretty large impact on me the last couple years in the majors and just kind of watching how he prepares and the way he goes about it.’’ 

Burns said the “margin is so thin that I just haven’t quite been able to hole that extra putt or make that extra chip or whatever it is’’ to take one of these big tournaments home. 

“Ultimately, it comes down to being able to go out there and execute,’’ he said. “I feel like when I’ve been close I haven’t been able to do that as well as I would like to. That will be the game plan for tomorrow — just try to go out there and give myself as many looks as possible on the greens and see what happens.’’