Will Brian Harman be crowned winner of the Open Championship if it continues to rain all day?
Brian Harman is set to play in the final round of The Open Championship today (July 23). He is scheduled to tee up at 9:15 am (ET) and is paired with Cameron Young, who is second-ranked on the leaderboard.
As per the CBS Sports weather report, the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake can expect a 78% chance of rain in the afternoon. This means Harman who is scheduled for an afternoon tee could see rain spoil the play.
But will Brian Harman be crowned as the winner if it continues to rain at Hoylake? The answer is a bit complicated. But, to be straightforward, he will not get his hands on the prestigious Claret Jug without the play being competed at The Open Championship.
Why? Because of the rain delay rules and regulations followed by the PGA Tour and other major tournaments.
What are the rain delay rules that could be implemented if it rains in The Open Championship?
According to the rules, if there is a rain delay in a professional golf tournament, there will be two kinds of suspensions that might come into the picture; Normal and Immediate.
In normal suspension, the golfer can simply finish the hole he is playing on and then leave the course. In stroke play events, the golfer has to make the decision of their own to either play in the dark or not.
However, in case of immediate suspension, the rain and lightning would have to be so bad that the golfer has to evacuate the ground immediately. They must mark their ball's spot before leaving the ground.
The challenge of rain on a links.
Who will deal with it best? pic.twitter.com/WhBOZ6J5x9
Now, let's discuss what happens if Sunday's play results in a washout. In this case, the game resumes the next day, Monday, as soon as possible. But if Monday also has unfavorable weather conditions, then, the game will continue for a Tuesday finish.
So, according to the rules, until the end of 72-holes, no golfer can be crowned champion.
Brian Harman's performance at the Open Championship 2023?
Brian Harman, the 36-year-old American golfer, has been playing some tremendous golf since the first round at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake. After his first round, Harman finished on T4 rank on the leaderboard with the help of five birdies and a bogey that took him to a score of -4.
Brian Harman put on a sensational show on Friday to get to a score of -10 with the help of four birdies and an eagle. He topped the leaderboard ever since Day 2.
Finally, on Day 3, he had a decent outing at Hoylake, carding four birdies and two bogeys to be on a score of -12. He was five shots ahead of Cameron Young, who is second on the leaderboard.