Why the Open champion considered quitting golf month before his major win

SAINT SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Brian Harman’s life isn’t wildly totally different at this time than it was before he received the Open Championship earlier this 12 months, however his mindset has modified. That occurs to Tour professionals, he says. A golfer’s thoughts is in a relentless state of movement. 

Harman is choosing up his Tour professional credentials this week for the first time since the Ryder Cup six weeks in the past, and for the first stroke-play occasion since the Tour Championship in late August. He expects to be a bit rusty. But the repute of his sport precedes him now, to the level the place journalists simply assume his victory at Royal Liverpool was life-changing.

Really, there are simply extra commitments now, Harman says. More favors to do for others. Things like pre-tournament press conferences, the precise discussion board from which he was talking. During this presser, Harman was requested about the persistence of Eric Cole, a 35-year-old in the operating to turn out to be PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, who on his journey has been via loads of ups, downs and moments of disbelief. 

“It’s what we all do, man, and that’s a testament to his grit and determination,” Harman stated. He’s been impressed by Cole. “I can appreciate that, for sure. It’s an awesome story, what he’s been able to do to stick with it that long when I’m sure the voices in his head, and he’s probably got a lot of friends like, ‘Hey, man, you sure you still want to compete?’”

Thoughts of quitting are likely to come up for professional golfers greater than professionals of different sports activities. Why? Sure, there are weeks the place 40-year-old professionals topple different golfers of their primes, or when stunning contenders announce themselves to the golf world and past, form of like Harman’s five-shot Open win final summer time. Sticking round pays dividends, however how lengthy are you able to cling round if none of it’s assured? So naturally Harman was requested about his personal “voices in his head,” and if he’s ever had the considered hanging it up throughout a tough patch? 

“Yeah, yeah,” Harman stated. “Earlier this year I was asking my agent about announcing jobs already.”

Earlier this 12 months, as in February or March, proper? Harman mulled the particular date before a voice from the again of the room reminded him, no, it was truly in June. As in one month before his profession modified ceaselessly. 

“So we all get there, we all have those thoughts,” he stated. “Everyone’s in a place that — we operate on these razor thin margins and a couple shots a day and you’re out of the game. I mean, it can happen so quick. And I like operating on that edge. I like it mattering, I like when it means the most, I like where that puts my head as far as like how hard I work.”

Naturally, the considered Harman pivoting to golf broadcaster piqued the curiosity of everybody in the media middle Tuesday morning at the RSM Classic. It appeared loopy. So loopy we needed to ask one other Open Champion, Zach Johnson, about it later in the afternoon. 

“Can you say that again?” Johnson stated, legitimately shocked by Harman’s admission. “Brian Harman?” The query was repeated as soon as extra.  

This time Johnson put down the microphone and requested once more, as if he had been being pranked. 

“Brian Harman?”

Yes, Brian Harman.

“I know Brian well — very, very, very well,” Johnson stated. “We’ve had discussions throughout the years on how to play this game, how to tackle this game, we approach things very similar. That’s why I’m surprised by this. Maybe he was being honest or somewhat sarcastic, I have no idea, that’s not the point. I’m just shocked by that statement because he is so good. I mean, obviously we’re saying it because he had a great summer, but even before that. I almost want to model my game after him now, that’s really what I’m getting at because he’s really so efficient at what he does. Wow, I’m surprised by that statement.”

That’s a good response. And to Johnson’s credit score, Harman’s efforts to kickstart a broadcasting profession had been short-lived, even when they had been actual. According to Harman, his agent rapidly advised him “exactly what I needed to hear: ‘No, we’re not doing that yet, Brian.’”

And but, the thought was there. Because the margins at the high degree of professional golf are so tight. Players who’re ranked, say, sixtieth in the world, are able to peaking for a single month. Just like Harman did. But proper before that, they could have felt like they’d by no means peak once more.

“You work your ass off to get to like whatever like a mini little peak is,” Harman stated, elevating a hand in the air. “And then something — you stop doing the things that got you there and so you start this kind of downhill thing and then it just snowballs and then it’s rock bottom. All right, I guess I’m going to go do something else.”

That’s the place Harman felt he was earlier this 12 months, at 36, a two-time Tour winner who had two high 10s in 29 major appearances. Wondering what life could be like as a golf broadcaster. Harman didn’t element how he all of the sudden bought himself into profession type, solely providing that a few of his greatest golf has come after hitting a theoretical all-time low. 

“It’s like, no, I’m not going to do that,” he stated. “Then you begin working laborious once more and also you begin working your approach as much as the high once more.

“It’s always — it’s in constant motion. It’s kind of like you’re either getting better or you’re getting worse and your mindset in the way that you approach everything is sort of what determines what part of that projection you’re on.”