Who is Brian Harman? The Open champion’s road to surprise Royal Liverpool glory

Brian Harman won his first major title at The 151st Open Championship, securing a six-shot victory. He showcased exceptional skills around the greens and lifted the coveted Claret Jug, marking his first win since 2017.

Brian Harman won The 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool with his impressive waggling technique.

The golfer’s habitual club waggle before each shot became so prevalent that it was even tracked by a “waggle count” on the US broadcast coverage.

In the face of pressure and a significant lead, he remained determined and unfaltering in his approach. His unique waggle served as a symbol of his ability to handle the nerves and perform admirably.

Harman weathered the storm to secure a first major crown, displaying the calmness of Steve Smith and bearing a striking resemblance to Ricky Ponting. However, the metaphorical storm did not materialize.

In a highly competitive golf championship, the dominant player stood unrivaled amidst the contenders. Despite the efforts of other skilled golfers, including Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood, the champion proved untouchable and emerged victorious.

Harman held a five-shot lead after 36 holes in a major tournament, a feat achieved by only 13 players in history. However, only two of those players have failed to maintain such a lead: Bobby Clampett and Henry Cooper.

With his fast start he also became the first player to lead the Open by five shots after 36 holes since eventual champion Louis Oosthuizen in 2010.

In the face of pressure, the underdog at Royal Liverpool golf course held strong, responding to setbacks with impressive birdies.

“Better late than never, I’ve thought about this my entire life,” Harman told Sky Sports. “I doubled down on this process, I know it’s boring and not flashy but until I hit that last bunker shot I didn’t think about winning this tournament.

“It’s hard to get way ahead of yourself, couple days in a row where I could have let it get sideways and I didn’t.

“I was just taking a shower this morning thinking ‘you can’t win an Open Championship in the shower, don’t think about it, left foot, right foot, let’s get it done’.”