“You don’t have the stones for this”: Brian Harman reveals one fan‘s heckle at Hoylake that kept him going at the Open 2023
The Open Championship 2023 champion, Brian Harman, held the usual press conference after the trophy ceremony. There he revealed to reporters that not all fans were supportive of him.
Harman recounted how during Saturday's game day a fan told him that he didn't have what it takes ("You don't have the stones for this") to win the tournament. The American used the heckle as motivation to focus on his next shot.
New Open champion Brian Harman on a fan’s heckle this weekend that snapped him back into it. pic.twitter.com/SAp3jxcNIM
Brian Harman said, as quoted by TenGolf:
"After I made the second bogey yesterday [Saturday] a guy, when I was passing him, he said, 'Harman you don't have the stones for this.' That helped, that helped a lot. It just helped snap me back in like: 'you know that I'm good enough to do this, I'm going to do this, I'm going to go through my process and the next shot's gonna be good."
He added:
"It was a case of trying to prove, without, any doubt, it was wrong. I'm not going to give that guy anymore. I figured at some point that I was gonna hit bad shots, I mean, with the weather and the scenario, you're gonna hit bad shots, and I knew that the way I responded to that would determine whether I'd be sitting here or not."
"I haven't historically done very good in the rain" - Brian Harman
In his press conference, Brian Harman also mentioned the weather conditions at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on Sunday. He explained that rainy conditions have never favored him, so he was very pleased with his performance in the fourth round.
He said:
"I haven't historically done very good in the rain, it's just always bugged me, so, I was really proud of the way that I struck the ball in the rain today."
Harman also reflected on his golf career, amateur and professional, and the manner in which he has risen to become Champion at The Open Championship:
"I had a lot of success as a junior golfer. I won the U.S Junior and then as an amateur. I was the number one ranked amateur in the world for a good while, was the youngest American to get picked for the Walker [Cup]. I had success, I had the pedigree, and then, I got to college and it just kind of sputtered a little bit."
"I just didn't keep up with the progression and my pro career has been really good at times and not good at times, so, this last year felt like I kind of found something a little bit and it's been great."
Brian Harman won The Open Championship with a score of 13-under 271. It is his first major victory and his third on the PGA Tour.