Live updates | Brian Harman to put claret jug to some use after winning British Open
HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Brian Harman is ready to put the claret jug to some use after becoming the champion golfer of the year at Hoylake.
“First,” Harman said at the ceremony on the 18th green, “I’m going to have a couple of pints out of this here trophy.”
Harman said consistency was the key at Royal Liverpool, where he only made six bogeys all week.
“I doubled down on my process," he said, "and I know it’s boring and it is not flashy. But, until hitting that last bunker shot, I have not thought about winning the tournament.”
Jon Rahm, who was in a tie for second at the British Open, said there was “nothing any of us could have done.”
“He won by six,” Rahm said. “It’s not like he won by two or three."
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WHAT TO KNOW
— Harman builds a 5-shot lead at British Open
— Jon Rahm sets Hoylake record with 63 to give himself a chance
— Younger brother of U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick in the top 10
— Rory McIlroy lets chances slip away with poor putting
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HARMAN WINS THE OPEN
Brian Harman is a major champion for the first time.
The 36-year-old American won the British Open by six strokes after shooting 1-under 70 in a soggy final round at Royal Liverpool. He was 13-under par for the tournament.
There was a four-way tie for second place between Jon Rahm (70), Jason Day (69), Sepp Straka (69) and 21-year-old Tom Kim (67).
Harman’s win was built on keeping his ball out of the bunkers and his brilliance on and around the greens. He missed just one putt under 10 feet all week on the Hoylake links.
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HARMAN ON THE BRINK
Brian Harman has reached 13-under par for the first time this week and is on the brink of winning the British Open.
Harman made birdie from 8 feet at the par-5 15th to restore the five-stroke lead with which he started the final round at Royal Liverpool.
Sepp Straka was playing the last hole in second place at 8 under, one shot ahead of Jason Day and 21-year-old Tom Kim of South Korea. Kim shot 67 and Day had two holes to play.
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MCILROY'S MAJOR DROUGHT CONTINUES
Rory McIlroy will go yet another year without winning a major.
McIlroy couldn’t keep his early run going in the final round of the British Open, finishing at 3-under 68 for the day and 6 under for the tournament.
He went into the clubhouse in a tie for fifth, five shots back from leader Brian Harman.
McIlroy hasn’t won in the last 34 majors he played since winning the 2014 PGA Championship.
It had been a promising start for McIlroy at Royal Liverpool, with three birdies in a row on the third, fourth and fifth holes to get him within five shots of the lead in a tie for second. He had started the day in a tie for 11th, nine shots off the lead.
McIlroy made two other birdies on the back nine, including at the par-3 17th, but also had two bogeys and never really contended.
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HARMAN HOLDS ON TO 5-SHOT LEAD BY THE TURN
Brian Harman kept his five-shot lead after the first nine holes in the final round of the British Open.
The gap was down to three shots after he made bogeys on the second and fifth holes, but Harman recovered with consecutive birdies on the sixth and seventh. The American lefty drained putts of 14 feet and 24 feet to regain control at the top.
He made the turn at even par for the day and 12 under for the tournament.
Harman’s closest challenger was Sepp Straka, who was at 2 under for the day and 7 under for the tournament.
Seven players were tied at 6 under after Harman made the turn, including Jon Rahm, Jason Day, Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy.
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MCILROY MAKES EARLY MOVE
Rory McIlroy made up four shots by the turn in the final round of the British Open.
McIlroy started the day tied for 11th, nine shots behind Brian Harman, but had moved into a tie for second and within five shots of the lead after his first nine holes.
McIlroy made three consecutive birdies on the third, fourth and fifth holes at Royal Liverpool. He was at 6-under par, tied with Tommy Fleetwood, Sepp Straka, Jon Rahm and Cameron Young.
Harman was 1 over through his first four holes, having made a bogey on the par-4 second.
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HARMAN TEES OFF TO START FINAL ROUND
Brian Harman found the fairway off the tee as he began the final round of the British Open with a five-shot lead.
The American lefty started at 12-under par and is playing alongside Cameron Young, who found the left rough off the tee. He began at 7-under par.
Both are trying to win their first major.
Rory McIlroy moved into a tie for second with Young and Jon Rahm after making three birdies in a row early in his round at Royal Liverpool.
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MIXED EMOTIONS FOR LAMPRECHT
Christo Lamprecht led the British Open on Thursday. He won the silver medal as the low amateur on Sunday.
It was the stuff in between that frustrated the 22-year-old South African with a big game and a big future.
“It’s been a week with every bit of emotion felt,” the 6-foot-8 (2.03-meter) Lamprecht said after his 3-over 74 in the final round, “coming off a high on Thursday and just not having it the last three days.”
Lamprecht, a two-time All-American from Georgia Tech, was the only amateur to play the weekend at Royal Liverpool. He followed a 66 in the first round, which left him tied for the lead, with a 79 in the second round that saw him make the cut on the number.
He was first out on Sunday and will have to stick around all day to receive his medal. Then it's back home before college starts in two weeks ahead of his final year before turning pro.
“I think there’s a lot of things to take away,” Lamprecht said, “but it’s nice to know that my good golf is good enough to compete with anyone in the world.”
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HARMAN LOOKS TO MAKE HISTORY
Brian Harman wants to make the right kind of history in the British Open.
The American lefty takes a five-shot lead into the final round at Royal Liverpool. No one has lost a lead that large in the Open — or any major — since Jean Van de Velde at Carnoustie in 1999. And even that required a triple bogey on the 72nd hole.
Cameron Young will be alongside in the final group on a cloudy, breezy day. The wind forecast was such the R&A already has adjusted two pin positions on the fifth and 13th holes. The pins are not as deep as originally planned.
Also the tee on the par-3 17th has been moved up 8 yards to play at 132 yards.
In early action, Scottie Scheffler is 3 under for his day through seven holes to reach 1 over for the tournament. Bryson DeChambeau drove the 367-yard fourth hole and made a 25-foot eagle putt. He also has three bogeys in his round.
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