Sam Saunders on Life After Golf, That Magical 59, and Carrying the Palmer Legacy

The Injury That Brought Relief

In August 2019, Saunders suffered a compound clavicle fracture in a motorized skateboard accident—a gruesome injury that would sideline most athletes for months. But Saunders remembers feeling something unexpected as he rode in the car with his wife, bleeding and in pain, his collarbone visibly protruding.

Relief.

“I had been on the grind for a long time and, despite the pain, felt a huge sense of relief that I was going to get some time off,” he admits.

That injury became a turning point. Afterwards, health, fitness, and quality of life became top priorities. Over the next several years, he gave his all on and off the course. However, the pull of home grew stronger, and by August 2024, he made it official: he was retiring from professional golf.

“I was good enough to keep going, but I wanted to put my focus elsewhere in life,” Saunders says. “Time with my wife and kids and other opportunities in my career were what were calling me.”

That Day He Shot 59

If there’s one moment that captures the joy Saunders found in golf, it’s September 29, 2017. Playing in the first round of the Web.com Tour Championship at a course just a mile from his home, Saunders got hot. Really hot. With friends watching, he birdied six straight holes to finish with a 59.

“I’ll never forget telling my caddy, Spencer Seifert, after I birdied the 17th hole that I was gonna get the last and shoot 59,” Saunders recalls with a laugh. “His eyes got wide because he didn’t even realize it, then he went full caddy on me and told me to just get one in the fairway!”

But the score wasn’t what made it special. What truly mattered was making that final putt while his wife, Kelly, and his oldest son, Cohen, watched.

“They both watched me fail so much in my career; it was really cool, they got to see a bright spot!”

The Real Grind

Saunders spent years experiencing the highs of earning his PGA Tour card and the lows of losing it. It was a grind, but he wouldn’t change it.

“I met so many great people, traveled the world, and made a nice living playing a game!” he says. “I’ll always remember the friendships and the grind was sometimes the best part. When you are in it together, pulling for your friends, sharing rental cars and hotels, that’s real professional golf, not making millions and flying private.”

Life After Competition

These days, Saunders stays busy working with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Cup and the foundation. He’s brought his golf background to the team and reconnected with old friends from his playing days.

But he’s also discovered new passions. He rides his bike 30 miles or more a couple of times a week. He hikes, skis, and climbs. He’s in the gym every day and will probably get into some type of competition soon. The competitive fire hasn’t died; it’s just found new outlets.

“I am still a very competitive person, but I really don’t play that much anymore,” he says. “I’m sure I’ll get back to it, but I am enjoying not playing every day.”

What Bay Hill Means

When Saunders watches the Arnold Palmer Invitational now, he sees it through different eyes. Not as a competitor who once earned an invitation by winning his second Bay Hill club championship by 17 strokes as a high school senior, but as someone who understands what the tournament meant to his grandfather.

He hopes it remains one of the most meaningful wins any player could add to their career. Just like his grandfather would have wanted.