Brian Harman: Open Champion Ready to Conquer Augusta Under Pressure
Open champion Brian Harman, equipped from challenging experiences, is set to conquer Augusta under intense pressure, drawing cheers from Bulldog fans. Discover how his resilience and strategic mindset position him as a contender for the prestigious green jacket.
Open champion Brian Harman believes his experience of handling a hostile Hoylake crowd has equipped him better to pursue more major glory. Harman was heckled by a minority of spectators at Royal Liverpool and even had one persistent offender ejected from the course before completing a comprehensive six-shot victory.
As a Georgia native and graduate of the state’s university, the atmosphere at Augusta National will be vastly different, although Harman insists he will relish proving his doubters wrong again, just as much as hearing cries of support for his alma mater’s Georgia Bulldogs.
“It seems like I do better when everyone’s rooting against me than rooting for me,” Harman said. “That’s a new challenge.”
Harman acknowledges that around Augusta, there are plenty of Bulldog supporters, and he’ll have to find a way to channel that energy, even joking that he might “pretend that they’re yelling mean things instead of nice things.”
The 37-year-old believes his experience at The Open and the Ryder Cup has prepared him for the intense pressure of major championship golf.
“After The Open I feel as though I’m more prepared to handle whatever comes my way because at the Open and then the Ryder Cup, these pressure-packed situations, I’ve seen myself perform pretty well under that pressure,” he said.
Harman, who is making his sixth start at the Masters, is well aware of the success left-handers have enjoyed at Augusta, with Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, and Mike Weir all donning the green jacket in recent years. However, he believes the course conditions will be crucial in determining his chances.
The American is not intimidated by the length of Augusta National, having contended at the 2017 U.S. Open, which was the longest in the championship’s history.
“The length doesn’t scare me. I’ve just got to prepare myself,” he said.
Harman is eager to reach the back nine on Sunday, where he can make a charge for the title, but acknowledges that there is a lot to happen between Thursday’s tee-off and that pivotal moment.
- Harman believes experience at The Open and the Ryder Cup has prepared him for major championship golf.
- Left-handers like Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson have seen success at Augusta.
- Harman is unfazed by the length of Augusta National after contending at the 2017 U.S. Open.
🔗 Source
