Returning the Claret Jug Feels Like Losing a Family Member.

Posted 3 months ago

On a chilly winter day, Brian Harman was tending to his farm when the reality of being the Open champion truly hit him. Surrounded by the quiet, rustic life, he suddenly grasped the magnitude of his victory.

After dominating the field and winning by six shots at Royal Liverpool last July, American Brian Harman looked forward to being 'on the tractor mowing the grass' at his Georgia home. It was there, on his four-wheeler, that he truly appreciated his Open Championship victory.

'I had a moment and stopped,' Harman told BBC Sport. 'When you get some solitude, your mind goes to pleasant memories.'

The 37-year-old found it 'sad' to return the Claret Jug to the R&A as he arrived at Royal Troon for the 152nd Open.

'It's tough,' said Harman, who enjoyed drinking expensive wine and exceptional bourbon from the trophy. 'It becomes a member of the family, going everywhere with you for a year. It leaves a gap, but it motivates you to win it again.'

No golfer has won back-to-back Opens since Ireland's Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008.