- author, peter skreiner
- role, BBC Sports Senior Journalist
- Reporter royal troon
Brian Harman takes the “fresh” challenge of returning to links golf as he defends his British Open Championship title at Royal Troon in July, despite admitting he “hated” golf at first I'm looking forward to it.
Americans are not alone.
Many legendary players, including five-time British Open champion Tom Watson, didn't immediately fall in love with the coastal course, which is often exposed to strong winds, has penalty bunkers, and has erratic bounces. do not have.
The American said he had yet to visit Troon, the Ayrshire course that will host the 10th British Open this year, and jokingly asked the assembled media if they had any tips.
One person suggested he “stay out of the bunkers,” but Herman was especially adept at avoiding the sand during last year's six-shot victory over Royal Liverpool, and he has been hitting the traps all week. He said there was no need to remind Herman since he had only been there twice.
But he recalled the punishing baptism of links golf he received at neighboring Prestwick, where the first Open was held in 1860.
“The first time I played links golf, I hated it. It tore me apart,” the 37-year-old said. Europe defeated the United States in the 2006 Palmer Cup, losing all four games.
“I was trying to hit a lob wedge around the green and the weather was bad. I got whipped and lost the whole match.”
Herman didn't return to links golf until he made his Open Championship debut at Royal Liverpool in 2014, and said he was “completely hooked on golf” from then on.
“I missed the cut four times in a row at the British Open and I never fully understood it, but even if I didn't play great, I knew I really enjoyed playing golf. ” he added.
“This is a thinker's game. You have to be able to hit all kinds of golf shots.
“There are different ways to be successful and that’s what we’re missing in our weekly games and I wish we had a little more of that.
“It's refreshing to play hard golf that isn't easy.”
When Harman won at Royal Liverpool, he said he suffered abuse that he “can never repeat” in the third round when he was playing with England's Tommy Fleetwood, who was born on the Southport coast.
He was booed on the first tee at the start of the final round, but he later said that this gave him a strong determination to win.
But the left-hander, who is the third left-hander to win the Claret Jag after Bob Charles and Phil Mickelson, feels the majority of British Open fans are “knowledgeable” and “a joy to play in front of.” said.
“Are we expecting hostility? I have no idea,” he said. “I'm ready for anything. It's always really fun to play golf in front of the fans because they understand what a good shot is. They understand what a bad shot is. They understand what it is.”
There will be 10,000 fewer fans at Royal Troon than the 260,000 who were at the Wirral Peninsula course last year. However, the sold-out crowd of 250,000 for the 152nd Championship is an increase of 70,000 from the last time in 2016 and is a record for an Open Championship held in Scotland outside of St Andrews. right.
