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Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hunter Harman stalking second British Open crown
Brian Harman said he "has the game" to win the British Open for a second time in three years after a brilliant six-under 65 on Friday shot the American to the top of the leaderboard. The 2023 winner of the Claret Jug made the most of the benign morning conditions on the Causeway Coast to card six birdies in a bogey-free round to move to eight under par. Two years ago at Royal Liverpool, Harman also pulled clear in his second round and was never reeled back in by the field on the way to sealing his first major by six shots. The best the 38-year-old has managed in seven majors since was tied for 21st at last year's US Open. Yet, the 5ft 7in (170cm) Harman's game is tailor made for the seaside links conditions, which are less beneficial for the booming big hitters off the tee than most courses on the PGA Tour. "I just enjoy the creativity and trying to think your way around," said Harman. "You can kind of do it your own way. "I love the golf over here. It suits me. Distance, of course, matters over here, but it doesn't matter as much as maybe some other tournaments, and it doesn't matter because the ground is so firm that the ball rolls." With dark clouds and driving rain rolling in for the afternoon starters on Friday, Harman is likely to go out in the final group come Saturday's crucial third round. But he is trying to stay calm, despite recognising that the chance to contend for majors does not come around often. "I'm not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy. I know that I've got the game to do it, and it's just a matter of executing and staying in my own head," he added. "I was quoted afterwards (winning the 2023 British Open) saying I'd spend the rest of my life trying to get in a position to feel this again because it is, it's the top of our profession, major championships. "Any time you can get in contention, have a chance to win, I mean, that's what we've all worked for our entire lives and you don't get that many opportunities to do that." Harman, nicknamed "The Butcher" due his passion for hunting, said he would celebrate his Claret Jug two years ago by mowing grass on his new tractor. His pro-hunting comments have previously drawn criticism from animal rights activists, but said he will "sleep like a baby" despite the furore, after a steak dinner to recover his energies for a big weekend ahead. kca/jc
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hunter Harman stalking second British Open crown
Brian Harman said he "has the game" to win the British Open for a second time in three years after a brilliant six-under 65 on Friday shot the American to the top of the leaderboard. The 2023 winner of the Claret Jug made the most of the benign morning conditions on the Causeway Coast to card six birdies in a bogey-free round to move to eight under par. Two years ago at Royal Liverpool, Harman also pulled clear in his second round and was never reeled back in by the field on the way to sealing his first major by six shots. The best the 38-year-old has managed in seven majors since was tied for 21st at last year's US Open. Yet, the 5ft 7in (170cm) Harman's game is tailor made for the seaside links conditions, which are less beneficial for the booming big hitters off the tee than most courses on the PGA Tour. "I just enjoy the creativity and trying to think your way around," said Harman. "You can kind of do it your own way. "I love the golf over here. It suits me. Distance, of course, matters over here, but it doesn't matter as much as maybe some other tournaments, and it doesn't matter because the ground is so firm that the ball rolls." With dark clouds and driving rain rolling in for the afternoon starters on Friday, Harman is likely to go out in the final group come Saturday's crucial third round. But he is trying to stay calm, despite recognising that the chance to contend for majors does not come around often. "I'm not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy. I know that I've got the game to do it, and it's just a matter of executing and staying in my own head," he added. "I was quoted afterwards (winning the 2023 British Open) saying I'd spend the rest of my life trying to get in a position to feel this again because it is, it's the top of our profession, major championships. "Any time you can get in contention, have a chance to win, I mean, that's what we've all worked for our entire lives and you don't get that many opportunities to do that." Harman, nicknamed "The Butcher" due his passion for hunting, said he would celebrate his Claret Jug two years ago by mowing grass on his new tractor. His pro-hunting comments have previously drawn criticism from animal rights activists, but said he will "sleep like a baby" despite the furore, after a steak dinner to recover his energies for a big weekend ahead. kca/jc
Arab News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Schauffele starting with blank canvas for Open defense
PORTRUSH: Xander Schauffele is super-excited at the prospect of trying to defend his British Open title at Royal Portrush this week but says he will have to come up with a different plan to the one that took him to victory 12 months ago. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport 'I think a blank canvas is a great place to start. You can paint many different pictures to win a tournament. You've just got to do the right one,' the American told reporters on the County Antrim coast on Tuesday after practice. The 31-year-old produced a blemish-free final-round of 65 at Royal Troon last year to win his second major title to go along with his gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics. He was the third American in four years to win golf's oldest major but while that experience will hold him in good stead for the days ahead, he said Portrush's Dunluce Links will throw up a completely new test of his renowned links golf skills. 'It's an interesting thing just because my thoughts of playing really well were at Royal Troon,' he said. 'Coming here, I feel like I'm trying to re-learn this golf course, get comfortable with certain sight lines, some blind tee shots. If I can get myself in the mix, that's when I think I would have an advantage. That's where my biggest edge would be. 'I can lean on experience at other points in time, but I think the most fun and the biggest advantage I would have is coming down the stretch if I can get close to that lead.' With the perils of a links course's sloping greens, cavernous bunkers, knee-deep rough and the wild weather associated with Britain's coast, it is hardly surprising that defending the title is treacherous. The last player to do so was Ireland's Padraig Harrington in 2008 and Schauffele knows the luck of the draw and getting lucky with the weather could be vital this week. 'This week is a pretty good example of having to deal with a wave. There's typically a good wave and a bad wave in an Open Championship,' he said. 'You just keep your fingers crossed that you're in the good wave and try and play well. 'If you're not, fight for your life and make the cut and then try and do something on the weekend.' For a player who grew up in San Diego, it might be surprising how he has embraced the challenge of links golf. But he said 16-hour trips in the car with his dad as a youngster helped him learn to be creative. 'We drove up to Bandon Dunes from San Diego. It took about 16 hours. I was 13 years old,' he said. 'We played three or four days in a row. I think it was just Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes at the time. We got the real weather. My rain gear stopped working. It was that much wind and rain. 'I had a blast. As much as it was nice to look forward to a hot shower at the end of the day, I had so much fun for some reason trying to figure out how to play golf in that weather.' With wind and rain expected to batter Portrush at times over the next five days, he will draw on those experiences again.
CNA
15-07-2025
- Climate
- CNA
Schauffele starting with blank canvas for Open defence
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland :Xander Schauffele is super-excited at the prospect of trying to defend his British Open title at Royal Portrush this week but says he will have to come up with a different plan to the one that took him to victory 12 months ago. "I think a blank canvas is a great place to start. You can paint many different pictures to win a tournament. You've just got to do the right one," the American told reporters on the County Antrim coast on Tuesday after practice. The 31-year-old produced a blemish-free final-round of 65 at Royal Troon last year to win his second major title to go along with his gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics. He was the third American in four years to win golf's oldest major but while that experience will hold him in good stead for the days ahead, he said Portrush's Dunluce Links will throw up a completely new test of his renowned links golf skills. "It's an interesting thing just because my thoughts of playing really well were at Royal Troon," he said. "Coming here, I feel like I'm trying to re-learn this golf course, get comfortable with certain sight lines, some blind tee shots. If I can get myself in the mix, that's when I think I would have an advantage. That's where my biggest edge would be. "I can lean on experience at other points in time, but I think the most fun and the biggest advantage I would have is coming down the stretch if I can get close to that lead." With the perils of a links course's sloping greens, cavernous bunkers, knee-deep rough and the wild weather associated with Britain's coast, it is hardly surprising that defending the title is treacherous. The last player to do so was Ireland's Padraig Harrington in 2008 and Schauffele knows the luck of the draw and getting lucky with the weather could be vital this week. "This week is a pretty good example of having to deal with a wave. There's typically a good wave and a bad wave in an Open Championship," he said. "You just keep your fingers crossed that you're in the good wave and try and play well. "If you're not, fight for your life and make the cut and then try and do something on the weekend." For a player who grew up in San Diego, it might be surprising how he has embraced the challenge of links golf. But he said 16-hour trips in the car with his dad as a youngster helped him learn to be creative. "We drove up to Bandon Dunes from San Diego. It took about 16 hours. I was 13 years old," he said. "We played three or four days in a row. I think it was just Pacific Dunes and Bandon Dunes at the time. We got the real weather. My rain gear stopped working. It was that much wind and rain. "I had a blast. As much as it was nice to look forward to a hot shower at the end of the day, I had so much fun for some reason trying to figure out how to play golf in that weather." With wind and rain expected to batter Portrush at times over the next five days, he will draw on those experiences again.
