Georgie Bingham: Why Harman’s Open win is always good for golf
Brian Harman of the United States celebrates after being presented with the Claret Jug on the 18th green on Day Four of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 23, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Occasionally at major championships one golfer plays a different course to everyone else.
They appear to “get it” better; their birdie putts go in more, they avoid the hazards better and for at least three of the four days they just can’t lose. Bryson De Chambeau did it for his US Open win - he just couldn’t lose when everyone else struggled. The stats don’t lie - the person who wins a tournament is normally number one in the important stat groups; greens in regulations, putting, fairways off the tee.
Brian Harman played that game at Royal Hoylake and never was it more evident than on the final day where he continued to make putts where no one else could; I don’t think I’ve seen so many birdie putts go wanting for some many top players - yet Harman took every opportunity he gave himself to hold out up front. Harman is no de Chambeau though. His golf is disciplined and not exciting. The lack of noise over his win tells you he wasn’t a crowd favourite. He is the golfer all us amateurs aspire to be. He’s Mr Consistent.
“The manner of Harman’s win be a pub quiz question for many years to come so remember this one folks.”
The fact his pre shot routine, or should we call it B-Waggle looks like a player in Grand Theft Auto stuck in motion is the most interesting thing about him is no bad thing. He doesn’t have distance. He isn’t spectacular but he won by SIX SHOTS which makes his victory all the more extraordinary. No one could touch him.
Brian Harman of the United States poses with the Claret Jug on the 18th Green following victory on dDay Four of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 23, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/R&A/R&A via Getty Images).
There are three types of major winners in my book; Number one is the top top golfers - the ones who are always expected to be in contention and capable of something special a lot of the time. These currently are John Rahm, Scott Scheffler, Rory McIlroy - they’re a cut above most of the time. The second category are the “from-no-where” winners that were never fancied especially when they are considered past their best. Think Darren Clarke’s Open win, or Danny Willett at the Masters, these are wins that seem to come from no where and are at long long odds. Then finally, the grifters.
The golfers who are there or there abouts but rarely win and are rarely fancied for majors. For these guys, mostly PGA Tour stalwarts, the win comes because these Mr. Consistents happen to throw up the best week of golf of their life on a major week. This is Brian Harman’s week. I was listening to 5live this morning; Harman’s won 2 of 353 tournaments he’s played. He considered making the season ending Fedex Cup series the highlight of his career before Sunday at the Open. He is a plugger; not spectacular, sometimes really not exciting but no one can argue he didn’t deserve his win at Royal Liverpool despite the respectful quiet that followed his game around this weekend.
“The lack of noise over his win tells you he wasn’t a crowd favourite. He is the golfer all us amateurs aspire to be. He’s Mr Consistent. ”
I love a win like Harman got - no one else deserved it this week. We saw some fantastic golf; John Rahm on the Saturday, Sepp Straka (no nonsense golfer - big fan of that), but the players who could light a fire and scorch the field, Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy never really managed to put anything outrageous together on Sunday to make up the deficit. The manner of Harman’s win will be a pub quiz question for many years to come so remember this one folks.
Georgie Bingham, broadcaster and journalist, writes a bi-weekly column for The Cut Stuff. She’s golf obsessed. She’s ready to go behind the tour.
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