Even if Brian Harman was a disappointing Open winner for the majority of spectators at Royal Liverpool, his victory is good for the game of golf. In an age of power hitting where distance, apparently, dominates, Harman possesses a more technical, old-school game of precision from tee to green, combined with phenomenal putting prowess. His short game is simply superb and that is what won him The Open at Hoylake.
The distance debate has been rumbling for years. In fact, looking back at archive copies of Golf Monthly, the R&A was considering the problem of the ball travelling too far after the 1936 Open at Hoylake.
But, in recent years, the issue has come to the fore more prominently and the governing bodies recently proposed a Model Local Rule that would reduce the distance golf balls travel in elite golf. The R&A and USGA have said that increased hitting distance, “threatens golf’s long-term sustainability and undermines the core principle that a broad and balanced set of playing skills should remain the primary determinant of success in golf.”
Brian Harman’s win at Hoylake demonstrated quite clearly that a broad and balanced set of playing skills can still prevail over out and out power. Yes, the stats show he largely got the job done with the putter. But he was also extremely reliable from the tee, despite a ball in a gorse bush on Sunday, he was solid on approach and he was excellent when it came to scrambling.
Those opposed to the Model Local Rule will point to Harman and say – ‘look here, a man who ranks 144th in driving distance this year on the PGA Tour is able to win a Major championship by six strokes.’ Those hitting the ball a country mile, McIlroy, DeChambeau, Rahm, weren’t able to match the score of a player who was, more effectively, hitting for positions and avoiding errors.
Brian Harman’s short game was exceptional at Royal Liverpool
(Image credit: Getty Images)
What this year’s Open really showed was that it’s course set-up that requires players to demonstrate a broad and balanced set of playing skills. The bunkering at Hoylake was punishing – An effective penalty stroke if one was found from the tee, a challenging…
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