TROON, Scotland — Of all of the latest traditions within the Royal & Historic recreation, what Brian Harman took half in on Monday afternoon could be the least pleasant.
Returning the claret jug.
The formal handover of The Open trophy required slightly pomp. Harman was within the again seat of an SUV. The vacation spot was not for much longer than the 40-foot birdie putt he made final 12 months on the 14th gap on his strategy to successful The Open. However he needed to look ahead to the movie crew to be set, for the site visitors on the highway to clear.
“It’s all yours,” Harman informed Martin Slumbers, the R&A CEO who took again golf’s oldest trophy that apparently has seen its share of the best wine and bourbon within the 12 months since Harman gained at Royal Liverpool.
Harman is a straight shooter — with a rifle, along with his mouth and final 12 months along with his putter — however a staged second as this didn’t trouble him.
“For my part, it’s the good trophy in all of sports activities,” Harman mentioned. “So I believe it’s deserving of all the pageantry that’s concerned with it.”
Getting it again by the tip of the week is the actual problem.
The homecoming of the claret jug was an unofficial strategy to launch the beginning of the ultimate males’s main of the 12 months. The 152nd Open Championship begins Thursday on the Scottish hyperlinks alongside the Firth of Clyde on the Irish Sea.
Royal Troon is famend for its pot bunkers which can be so deep they successfully function a one-shot penalty when tee pictures discover them on the longer holes. The outward holes are shorter with the prevailing wind, the inward holes are longer and into the wind.
“You need to take them on,” Scottie Scheffler mentioned.
Harman had gone six years and not using a win till placing collectively a masterpiece final 12 months to guide over the ultimate 51 holes and win by six. He hasn’t gained since then, a matter of getting his putter to cooperate. He hopes that’s the case this week.
“You possibly can work and work and work. You simply by no means know when that work goes to repay,” Harman mentioned. “You by no means know when the height is coming. You by no means know if you’re going to catch slightly little bit of momentum. So that you simply should hope it’s an enormous week.”
Nobody has gained again to again in The Open since Padraig Harrington in 2007 (Carnoustie) and 2008 (Royal Birkdale). Return to 1960 and the checklist of repeat winners consists of solely Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.
“Slightly unhappy to offer it again, however I’ll keep in mind in all places it’s been perpetually,” Harman mentioned. “I’m completely happy to offer it again, completely happy to be right here. Able to get going.”
Royal Troon is inexperienced and luxurious, and the tough is especially thick on the base of turf. This isn’t prone to be a shiny and sunny week alongside the Ayrshire coast, and the hyperlinks have been busy.
Woods arrived Sunday and went 18 holes, spending a lot of his time chipping and placing. His son Charlie just isn’t with him, as an alternative at house making ready for the U.S. Junior Newbie subsequent week exterior Detroit.
Scheffler obtained into the aggressive spirit, taking part in alongside Sam Burns as they took some money from PGA champion Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
After handing off the jug, Harman headed out to see Royal Troon for the primary time. Monday was largely a day of reflection and he was keen to maneuver ahead.
But it surely was a very good 12 months, even with out one other win. He took the jug to Georgia Bulldogs soccer and Atlanta Braves baseball video games. He took it in all places he might, a reminder of reaching the head of his sport.
“You by no means know the way it’s going to go, however simply the reception from everybody again house was overwhelming, simply how excited everybody was,” he mentioned. “I used to be clearly very excited, however to have the ability to share that pleasure with people who I care about was in all probability one of the best.”
Harman was amongst a number of gamers who got here throughout the coast from the Scottish Open final week, a listing that included Robert MacIntyre, although his instantly whereabouts couldn’t be confirmed. MacIntyre gained the Scottish with an eagle-par-birdie end and promised he would “have a good time onerous” as the primary Scot to win his nationwide open in 25 years.
He was scheduled for a press convention Monday afternoon. It was rescheduled for Wednesday afternoon. That was an enormous win for him. Subsequent up is one even larger.
