Sam was born and raised in Roseville, Minnesota. His father introduced him to the game of golf before he could even walk at Hillcrest Golf Club. He went on to play six years of varsity golf in high school and competed collegiately at the University of South Dakota.

During his college career, Sam earned one collegiate victory and captured the 2013 Minnesota State Amateur Championship and the 2015 Minnesota State Match Play Championship. After college, he moved to Arizona to pursue his dream of playing on the PGA Tour.

Before stepping away from competitive play, Sam came just short of completing the Minnesota Grand Slam, finishing runner-up at the Minnesota State Open in both 2016 and 2020. Today, he calls Arizona home and caddies at Silverleaf Golf Club.