25-year-old had success here as amateur golfer
The summer of 2003 was a whirlwind for then 16-year-old golf prodigy Brian Harman. The U.S. Junior Amateur at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase was just one of the three national titles he captured.
Nine years later, Harman is a rookie on the PGA Tour. Standing on the putting green Monday at Congressional Country Club, Harman could recall little of his breakthrough victory, four miles to the east.
“I remember the food,” Harman said. “The lunch — for some reason I remember that — was so good, I really got comfortable playing.”
| AT&T National |
| When » Thursday-Sunday |
| Where » Congressional Country Club |
| TV » Golf Channel, CBS |
Getting acclimated to the PGA Tour has not been difficult for the 5-foot-7 Harman, who tees off Thursday for the first time in the AT&T National. After making it to the tour via Q-School, Harman has earned $522,818, making the cut in 12 of 19 events.
Helping Harman with the transition have been several of his college teammates at Georgia, including Harris English, Kevin Kisner, Chris Kirk and Brendon Todd, all members of the tour.
Joining the long-putter revolution also has helped. The left-hander made the switch at Pebble Beach, where he finished tied for 20th. Success followed in the Honda (T12), Arnold Palmer (T15) and Texas Open (T18).
“I made most of my money with the long putter this year,” Harman said. “Until they outlaw it, I’ll have one.”
Harman’s star turn came when he fired a course-record 61 in the second round of the Honda, played at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., one of the tour’s toughest courses. The score bested the course and tournament record by three strokes each and could have been better as he nearly holed a bunker shot for an eagle on the par-5 18th, then missed a 5-foot comebacker with his long putter, settling for a par.
Harman enters the AT&T National in solid form. After missing the cut in the U.S. Open by a stroke, he tied for 24th at the Travelers on Sunday.
Returning to Cromwell, Conn., for the tournament ignited sweet memories for Harman, who got a sponsor’s exemption to play in the event (then the Buick Championship) eight years ago and made the cut as a 17-year-old.
The following summer, Harman became the youngest American to compete in the Walker Cup, going 2-0-1 to help the United States to a victory over the British Isles in the amateur version of the Ryder Cup.
Harman first experimented with the long putter at the 2007 Porter Cup, one of amateur golf’s most prestigious events, which he won. Harman goes back and forth with the long putter, using it only when he plays in tour events.
“When he’s at home, he doesn’t even putt with the belly putter. He uses the short one,” said John Davenport, Harman’s caddie. “Then he says, when you get that belly putter in your hands, it really feels like you’re cheating.”
With his long putter and perhaps a dose of inspiration playing again in the D.C. suburbs, Harman looks for big things this week. He said he hopes to stop by Columbia on Wednesday to conjure up old memories and perhaps enjoy some lunch.
“That was kind of a turning point in my career where I felt I really wanted to do this,” Harman said.
