By Rahul Banerji
Brian Harman completed a comprehensive six-shot victory at the 151st Open Championship at Hoylake on Sunday with Shubhankar Sharma bringing in an India best on the day.
The 36-year-old American tamed the rain-soaked Royal Liverpool Golf Club course with his clean hitting and superb putting after starting the day five shots ahead of the field.
Behind him, Shubhankar Sharma capped a birthday week with a masterful display of his own, carding the only bogey-free round on Sunday to share eighth place, which also ensured a return to the event next year.
It was a best-ever finish by an Indian golfer at The Open and improved on the tied 27th by Jyoti Randhawa at Royal Troon – also the venue of the next edition – in 2004.
Anirban Lahiri’s tied fifth place in the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Strait remains India’s best at a men’s major.
“It’s amazing. Yeah, just played out of my skin,” Shubhankar, a two-time DP World Tour winner said later.
“I grinded from the first hole. I don’t remember the last time I’ve hit so many long irons into par-4s, 2-irons, 4-irons, 5-irons all day, and I struck them brilliantly, so really proud of myself the way I handled myself on the course.
‘My best ever’
“Without doubt it was the best I have ever played, and on such a challenging course,” Shubhankar added of his performance that read 68-71-70-70 through the week
The closing 1 under card gave him a four-day total of 5 under 279 alongside 2022 runner-up Cameron Young of the US, who had set out with Harman in Sunday’s final grouping, Shubhankar’s best in three outings at The Open.
Harman dropped just two shots against four birdies through a difficult day. He got the better of the rain, slowed up fairways and greens, and a treacherous rough to stay ahead of the rest all the way to the wire.
“Got off to a bad start on both days and turned it around, Harman (67-65-69-71) said later. “So really happy with that.
“I’m over the moon. It was a tough last three days, really was. Being able to get some sleep was big last night.
“Sleeping on a lead like that is really difficult, so glad of the way I hung in there the last couple of days
Self-belief
“You know, I’ve always had a self-belief that I could do something like this. It’s just when it takes so much time it’s hard not to let your mind falter, like maybe I’m not winning again.
“I’m 36 years old. The game is getting younger. All these young guys coming out, hit it a mile, and they’re all ready to win. Like when is it going to be my turn again?
“It’s been hard to deal with. I think someone mentioned that I’ve had more top-10s than anyone since 2017, so that’s a lot of times where you get done, you’re like, dammit, man, I had that one; it just didn’t happen for whatever reason.
“To come out and put a performance like that together, like start to finish, I just had a lot of control. I don’t know why this week, but I’m very thankful that it was this week.”
It was the diminutive left-hander’s first title since the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship and came on the same day another south-paw, Akshay Bhatia, scored a breakthrough win on the PGA Tour.
Many had remarked on Harman’s resemblance to Aussie cricket legend Ricky Ponting who is also in England for the ongoing Ashes. At the post-event press conference, Harman agreed. “I look like him. Handsome fella.”
Winner’s haul
Harman’s $3 million winner’s cheque was his first since Wells Fargo 2017, and the third after the 2014 John Deere Classic. The American was making his 340th career start and a 30th at the majors.
In tied second place on 7 under 277s were Korean star Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim, Spain’s Jon Rahm, Austria’s Sepp Straka and Jason Day of Australia on a good day overall for Asian golfers.
The young Korean also underlined his major pedigree with a career-best finish at The Open, becoming the youngest runner-up since Seve Ballesteros in 1976.
A 4-under 67 for Sunday’s joint low score also gave the 21-year-old back-to-back top-10s at the majors after a T8 at the US Open last month. Ballesteros was 19 when he took tied second behind Johnny Miller.
Asia’s best finish at The Open remains a solo second by Chinese Taipei’s “Mr” Lu Liang-huan in 1971.
Kim was over the moon, especially after injuring his right left ankle in a fall at his rented home. “Played great this week. It’s very, very satisfying. It (the ankle) actually lasted better today. I took off my cast and it got a lot better.
Adrenaline high
“Coming down the stretch of a major when you’re playing well, the adrenaline kind of hits. It was nice to almost forget about it a little bit because when you’re in the moment, you don’t really think about it.
“I think today was probably the best it’s been out of the three days, so kind of relieved.”
Hard as Kim and the rest of the chasing pack tried, they couldn’t quite get close to Harman though two late birdies did ensure he would eclipse K.J. Choi’s T8 in 2007 as Korea’s previous best finish in the Open.
“I mean, Brian was five shots ahead at the start of the day. In a major championship when you have a five-shot lead and you shoot anywhere even to under par, it’s really hard to catch,” said Kim
“I was just trying to have a good finish because I’m trying to stack up these good weeks and give myself confidence again.
Also read: Unheralded Harman leads into title Sunday at The Open
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