Corbin Burnes began his journey to the diamond from an unexpected origin: the golf course.
The Diamondbacks pitcher, who signed with the team in December, grew up playing golf with his dad and grandfather, and it didn’t take long for him to develop a real skill for the sport.
“Golf was always a sport I was pretty good at and played for a long time,” Burnes said. “I didn’t play on the high school team because baseball overlapped so much, but I played in a lot of junior tournaments growing up and during high school. I’ve always loved playing and enjoyed getting out and spending time on the golf course.”
The 2021 National League Cy Young winner developed a strong love for baseball early on but along his journey, Burnes said he always held onto his passion for golf, treating it not just as a hobby but also as a way to sharpen his mental focus before stepping onto the mound.
“It was all about going through a routine to keep me focused and in tune taking it one pitch at a time,” Burnes said. “The same involves taking it one (golf) shot at a time. For me, the mental pieces of it overlapped a lot and a lot of similarities of being out there (on the mound) and trying to focus one pitch at a time, one side of the time.”
This year marked Burnes’ third consecutive appearance at the WM Phoenix Open’s San Tan Ford Special Olympics Celebrity Putt Contest, where Special Olympians have the chance to compete alongside athletes. Burnes also will participate in the WM Annexus Pro-Am on Wednesday.
When Burnes chose to get involved in the community, it was a natural fit, fueled by his enduring love for golf, a passion he said continues to bring him immense joy alongside his thriving MLB career.
“I’m pretty good friends with Tom Hovik, who runs the event when he’s been here,” Burnes said of his decision to participate. “So whenever he asks me every year … it’s a quick yes and I enjoy it out here seeing the small smile it puts on some of these faces, watching them compete.”
However, what made this one special was the fact that Burnes signed a six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks this offseason, allowing him to participate alongside new teammates Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.
“Those guys happen to play golf, too, and it’s fun to get these guys out here,” Burnes said. “We’ve got a long training (camp) to get to know each other and learn from each other, but we should have a really good group of guys, especially in that starting pitching group. Looking forward to being with those guys.”
Tom Gorski is a graduate student at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Corbin Burnes opens up about his passion for golf beyond the diamond
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