Jackson Buchanan and Sam Haynes: living the dream one shot at a time

Imagine recently graduating from college and, a few weeks later, getting the chance to play in a Major Championship with one of your best friends caddying for you. 

That’s the situation for recent Illinois graduate and 2024 Big Ten Golfer of the Year Jackson Buchanan at the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont. And it’s a situation that many people, including myself, have once dreamed about. 

But it’s not something that Buchanan ever thought about — he’s just been laser-focused on improving his golf game.

“I’m trying to see how good I can get at golf. I never dreamt of being with Sam [Haynes] in a major,” Buchanan said. “It’s pretty cool, and it is like a dream come true, but I never really dreamt it, or ever talked about it. It just happened.”

This isn’t even the first time Buchanan has had Haynes on his bag in the U.S. Open. The two paired up last year at Pinehurst. 

In 2025, Buchanan turned pro and is playing in his fourth professional tournament this week. He was in both the Memorial Health Tournament — a Korn Ferry Tour Event in which he finished tied 39th — and the John Deere Classic with Haynes on his bag as an amateur in 2024. 

“Last year [at Pinehurst] it sucked to miss [the cut] by one,” Buchanan said. “But it taught me a lot last year, just to keep playing. I started at seven over [par] to start the week off last year, and almost made the cut. So just keep playing golf and see where it takes me.”

So far, the game of golf has taken Buchanan far — he already holds a course record at Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois, won many awards at the University of Illinois and is set up to play in the PGA Tour Americas soon after his appearance at Oakmont. 

One of his friends and teammates from the Buford High School golf team, Haynes, might just become his full-time caddie through it all. He has the golf knowledge Buchanan needs from his caddie. 

“[Haynes] has a mind for the game of golf, [and] a good feel for my game,” Buchanan said. “When we have an in-between number or something, he makes me pretty confident.”

But it’s not just because Haynes knows his golf game — he can consistently put Buchanan in a positive mindset that only makes his golf better.

“I’m a big vibes guy, and I respond emotionally more to things rather than just numbers and hit this club, blah, blah, blah,” Buchanan said. “Sam knows my head pretty well and kind of where I’m at wherever on the golf course, and he can help me stay in the moment. And I really appreciate that, [but] he’s got a lot to learn caddie-wise.”

Haynes is a perfect mental caddie for Buchanan, but good etiquette is another part of the battle for a professional caddie. Buchanan wants to see him improve in understanding when to pick up the pin on each hole, where to put the golf bag or other similar things like that, and Haynes is figuring out how to improve in those things.

“I have a pretty good basis for all the rules because I played golf,” Haynes said. “But I’m learning a lot about what goes into [caddying].”

Haynes is 21 years old and a junior majoring in business at Kennesaw State — it’s expected that he’s not going to have the same etiquette as these caddies who have been doing it for years. And as long as Buchanan keeps on improving and enjoying his time with one of his best friends on the bag, there’s no reason for the duo to stop playing together with another.

“I’d really like it if it worked out like that. I think that would be pretty awesome. That’s kind of the goal,” Haynes said.