"They understand what a good and a bad shot is, they get it" - Brian Harman praises knowledgeable Open fans
Brian Harman won the Open Championship last year, and he admitted that it took a bit of effort after the crowd was particularly tough on him. He suffered abuse in the third round he didn't care to repeat and said that his final round began with boos, though it spurred him on to victory.
However, not all the fans he plays in front of at the Open Championship are that difficult. Harman specifically said that the majority of the fans he'll play in front of are quite "knowledgeable" and said they were a "joy to play in front of".
Harman said he's not sure whether or not there will be any angst from the crowd this time around (via BBC):
"Do I expect hostility? I have no idea," he said. "I'll be ready for whatever. I've always really enjoyed playing golf in front of the fans over there because they understand what a good shot is. They understand what a bad shot is. They get it."
There won't be quite as many fans this time around when Brian Harman returns to defend his title. There are going to be 10,000 fewer fans at the 2024 venue, but the 250,000 fans (all tickets are sold out) for the 152nd Open will be a record for one in Scotland but not at St. Andrews.
Brian Harman is rooting for LIV Golf player
There is sometimes a bit of a divide between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Some players on one side don't like the other side after switching or remaining loyal. It's part of the divide in the sport. It does not, however, apply to Brian Harman and one LIV Golf star.
Brian Harman, who was teammates with Anthony Kim all the way back in 2005 at the Walker Cup, said via Bunkered:
“I’m always interested when someone kind of picks up the pieces and comes back,” he said. “It’s nice to see him playing golf again. He sure was tough to beat when he was playing good. I hope he finds a little bit of that form.”
Harman said from what he knows, things are going well from an off-course perspective for Kim:
“I heard that his personal life is going really well from all reports,” he continued. “I haven’t talked to Anthony personally in probably 12 years or so, but yeah, I’ve been rooting for him from the sidelines."
Kim has a lengthy history with a lot of PGA Tour players, and they evidently discuss the past frequently and fondly:
“We always exchange Anthony Kim stories, and he’s an easy guy to pull for. Hope he keeps it up and hope he gets a little bit of his form back.”
Speaking of form, Kim has not yet been able to capture it. He has yet to shoot under par in any LIV event this year. He has come a long way from the dreadful opener he had, but he's still not back to top shape at all. Kim placed dead last in Adelaide, too, though he was only six over.