Brian Harman looks forward to playing at 2024 RBC Heritage - "It's really comforting to be back"
After missing the cut at the Masters, Brian Harman is happy to be heading to the RBC Heritage. Some golfers take time off after the Masters for a variety of reasons. If they struggled, then it's a good time to take a week off and regroup from a bad outing on the biggest stage. If they played well, then it's also a good week to recover from one of golf's most taxing outings.
For Harman, there's no question because the Heritage is such a familiar and comfortable tournament to play in. It has a special place in his heart, and he's thrilled to be able to return. He hasn't won there, but it's still a good place for Harman.
Harman said:
"This is the first tournament I attended as a spectator, first PGA Tour event I played as an amateur. It's always really comforting to be able to come back here."
Harman's still searching for his first win at this tournament, but he has a bevy of nice finishes: T-7 (2023), T-35 (2022), T-13 (2021), T-28 (2020) and MC (2019). He was excellent there last year and he'll hope to recapture the magic once again this weekend.
Harman has had a unique path to professional golf and it directly involves the RBC Heritage. The 37-year-old golfer truly broke through last year with the Open Championship victory, but he's been a pro since 2009.
Brian Harman nearly made history at the Masters
As mentioned, it wasn't a very good outing at Augusta National last weekend for Brian Harman. The golfer shot nine over in two rounds and missed the cut entirely. Augusta is not a kind golf course, and many golfers struggled.
Harman, however, almost made history in a bad way. The golfer made back-to-back bogeys at the 11th and 12th and doubled the 13th to really get going downhill.
He also landed in the water on the 16th and three-putted the hole to continue his downward spiral. The 17th and 18th holes were also terrible, as one of his shots on 18 clipped a tree and went just 20 yards.
In total, Harman shot a second-nine 47 for an 18-hole total of 81 after a decent first nine. That number is the highest second-nine total at Augusta since Ben Crenshaw shot a 48 in 2015, and one away from the highest nine-hole total in Masters history.
It wasn't just Harman, though, as so many golfers had a very tough outing at Augusta. The second nine of the first round was particularly tough, and then the weather got involved and made some things worse. Ultimately, he mercifully missed the cut and didn't have to struggle any further.
It was a disappointing showing for the player who had won the most recent Major tournament in golf (the 2023 Open), but he will return to a familiar place with the RBC and hopefully reverse course and play better.