After Brian Harman's British Open win, which former UGA golfer could be next major champ?
Bubba Watson’s got two green jackets. Brian Harman now has the Claret Jug.
So which other former Georgia golfer that shows up often on leaderboards could break through next as a major champion?
Chris Haack, the Bulldogs coach who has churned out a slew of PGA Tour players, didn’t single one out Sunday, hours after he watched Harman win the British Open in a runaway victory from his home on Lake Oconee.
And probably with good reason. There are several to choose from.
“I don’t know, that’s a good question.” Haack said. “It really wouldn’t surprise me if it was any of them. They’ve all had times when they contended.”
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It may be Sepp Straka, who finished tied for second at Royal Liverpool, six strokes behind Harman, and won the John Deere Classic earlier this month.
Russell Henley, Harris English and Chris Kirk all were also in the top 40 in the World Golf rankings before the British Open.
Then there’s Keith Mitchell, Brendon Todd and Kevin Kisner lurking in the top 90.
“Maybe these guys all get a little more comfortable, a little more mature,” Haack said. “Maybe we’ll see a few more of them contend as we did with Sepp.”
Haack pointed out that Todd was in the final group on Saturday at the U.S. Open in 2014 at Pinehurst before faltering. Henley was the co-leader entering round two at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in 2021 and finished tied for 13th. English finished third at the same Open in 2021.
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“It’s one of those things where you’ve got to keep pounding on the door,” Haack said. “Golf’s hard. It’s hard to win. There’s so many good players out there that you can play so good and still not win. (Harman) just outplayed everybody this week. … He went out and beat the field and took it on his own.”
Harman, a Savannah native who lives on Sea Island, was the 2006 SEC Freshman of the Year and was a three-time second-team All-American. He played on a loaded 2009 team that reached the national semifinals that included Hudson Swafford, Henley and English.
“Those guys were beating up each other every day,” Haack said.
This was his third PGA Tour win, but first since the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship.
“He’s getting older and wiser,” Haack said. “Having contended at Erin Hills in the (2017 U.S.) Open, he’s had a taste of what that’s all about. …This week, the putter got hot. When the putter gets hot, that usually spells good things.”
Straka, an Austrian, could land a Ryder Cup spot for Europe. He also had a top 10 finish in the PGA Championship in May.
“I think my ball-striking has improved a lot over the last year,” he told reporters after the British Open. “It's gotten a little more consistent, so I've been able to kind of show up with my best game a couple more times.”
Haack said he sat back and watched Harman for nuances in his game.
“Like how committed the golf swing is, if it’s a little abbreviated and looks like he’s trying to steer it a little bit,” Haack said.
He said Harman was a little tentative at the start of his third and fourth rounds.
“As soon as he made a birdie both days, it’s like, ‘OK, he’s back in synch again,” Haack said.
Harman and Watson who won two Masters are both lefties.
The Georgia golf program already displays one of Watson’s Master’s trophy in a cubicle. Haack expects they’ll try to get a replica Claret Jug to show proudly.
“It kind of validates how good the program has been over these last 25 years and all the good players that have come through and won but the one thing we hadn’t a whole lot of other than Bubba was majors and now that’s our third major,” Haack said.
Haack sent Harman a text Sunday after the victory. Harman sent back a photo of Harman and former Georgia and PGA Tour golfer Ryuji Imada, who was working the tournament as a media member.
“They had a couple of pictures made together with the Claret Jug,” Haack said. “They sent it to me and (assistant Jim) Douglas and just, ‘Hell, yeah!””
Haack, who has seen 11 of his players win a combined 48 PGA Tour events, was heading to the U.S. Junior Amateur in Charleston.
“I’m at the airport now,” he said, “to try and find my next Brian Harman.”
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Chris Haack on Brian Harman's British Open and who may next from UGA?
