‘I killed a pig’: Savannah’s Brian Harman prepared for Heritage hunting on his farm
Unfortunately for Georgia’s wildlife, Savannah native Brian Harman needed a reset.
After he wrapped up a frustrating stint at the Masters, shooting seven over par and missing the cut, RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing loomed in less than a week. The Harbour Town Golf Links, while far shorter than Augusta’s course, is infamously dotted with obstacles and tricky angles.
Yet, Harman has struck fast in the first round of Heritage, sitting at second and shooting six under par, only trailing world No. 9 Viktor Hovland by one stroke. His training regimen? Hunting.
“I went and killed a [wild] pig Friday night at my farm, and I killed a turkey Saturday morning,” Harman said. “I didn’t hit any balls until I got here Tuesday morning.”
The 14-year pro said he took his brief time away from the course between the Masters and Heritage to avoid over-preparing in frustration, a pitfall he’s encountered throughout his career.
“Your temptation after you don’t play well is to overwork,” Harman said. “I’ve done it lots and gotten really tired, so it’s just trying to rest up and knowing your game is okay for the week.”
The rest and recovery seems to have worked, so far. His run of early morning birdies left him at 6 under par Thursday, sporting plenty of impressive drives and lengthy putts. Harman displayed mastery of a course he said has historically given him fits — so much so that he’d “sworn off” playing on Hilton Head at one point, early in his career.
“I remember hitting it left on (hole) three and trying to chip it out, it hit a tree, came back and hit me right in the chest,” Harman said, recounting his earliest memory playing on the Harbour Town Golf Links as an amateur in 2004. “So it was like, ‘Welcome to the PGA Tour.’”
Harman all business in paradise
Harman’s leisure time ended as soon as practice rounds started this week, he said, despite Heritage serving as a near-homecoming and Hilton Head’s relaxed culture. The trip could feel like a vacation for his family after making the roughly two-and-a-half hour drive from their St. Simons Island home to a Sea Pines rental, but he’s narrowed his focus for the tournament.
“My kids love it and it’s always fun to come ... golf is my job, so I try to make it as business-like as possible,” Harman said. “If I get so wound-up in who’s coming, who’s getting tickets and who’s coming out to watch, I just end up focusing on the wrong thing. My job is to hit fairways, greens, and try to make putts, whether it’s here, Memphis, Tennessee, or New York City.”
Minutes after Harman finished his first round of play, Norwegian pro and world No. 9 Viktor Hovland narrowly overtook him to claim the top spot at Heritage, shooting 7 under par.
Harman, now in second place, is one stroke removed from a four-way tie for third between Joel Dahmen, Scott Stallings, Matt Fitzpatrick and Zach Johnson.
This story was originally published April 13, 2023 at 3:11 PM.
