George Burns (golfer)
George Francis Burns III is an American professional golfer. Turning pro in 1975, Burns had four PGA Tour wins, 80 top-10 finishes and won several other tournaments at both the amateur and professional levels.
Burns was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the eldest child of George Burns Jr, President of Smith Corona Typewriters and Durkee Foods, and Kathleen Marie Scott. He attended the University of Tennessee before transferring his freshman year to the University of Maryland where he played defensive end for one season before quitting football to focus solely on golf. He turned pro in 1975.
Burns won four PGA Tour events during that phase of his career. His first win came with Ben Crenshaw at the 1979 Walt Disney World National Team Championship in Orlando. The biggest win of his career came a year later at the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am. Burns had more than 70 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. His best finish in a major was at the 1981 U.S. Open where Burns held a three-shot lead going into the final round before finishing T2. Burns also had a T-5 at the 1977 British Open.
After reaching the age of 50 in 1999, Burns began play on the Senior PGA Tour. His best finish at that level is a T-9 at the 2000 Brickyard Classic. He lives and plays at Quail Ridge Country Club in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Amateur wins (8)
- 1972 Metropolitan Amateur, Monroe Invitational, Long Island Amateur
- 1973 Canadian Amateur Championship
- 1974 Azalea Invitational, Porter Cup, North and South Amateur, New York State Amateur
Professional wins (9)
PGA Tour wins (4)
PGA Tour playoff record| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
| 1 | 1984 | Bay Hill Classic |  Gary Koch | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
| 2 | 1985 | Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic | Raymond Floyd, Roger Maltbie | Maltbie won with birdie on fourth extra hole |
European Tour wins (2)
European Tour playoff record| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
| 1 | 1975 | Scandinavian Enterprise Open |  Graham Marsh | Won with par on first extra hole |
| 2 | 1975 | Kerrygold International Classic |  John Fowler | Won with par on second extra hole |
Other wins (3)
- 1982 New York State Open, Panama Open
- 1988 Chrysler Team Championship
Results in major championships
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Summary
- Most consecutive cuts made – 5
- Longest streak of top-10s – 2
U.S. national team appearances
- Eisenhower Trophy: 1974
- Walker Cup: 1975