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RBC HERITAGE

June 16, 2020

Brian Harman

Hilton Head, South Carolina

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and get started here with Brian Harman in the interview room at the RBC Heritage. Brian's made ten starts here before, including his PGA TOUR debut in 2004.

Brian, as a local player, could you just share the importance of this event.

BRIAN HARMAN: Yeah, growing up, I used to take days off school to come watch it. It's the first tournament I ever came to. I remember Brad Faxon gave me a golf ball. I was probably 11, 12 years old. So it's always had a special spot for me, and I really enjoy coming back.

THE MODERATOR: And the PGA TOUR resumed, obviously, last week after a three-month break. You played pretty well at Colonial Country Club. Could you share your thoughts on the return and how your game's feeling going into this week.

BRIAN HARMAN: The game feels great. The break was nice. I know it's not a great time to take a break, but I tried to make the best of it. I feel like my game's in really good shape. I'm excited to get going. The golf course looks great. I haven't been out on it yet, but I'm excited to go see it.

Q. We know how much you love hunting and fishing. I was wondering, did you have any highlights during your time off?
BRIAN HARMAN: Yeah, man. I killed -- I was a party to killing a few turkeys, killed one myself. Bought me a new tractor. I've been busy. Got the yard looking good. It was a nice break. It was. It was nice to kind of do some of the stuff during the spring that I always wish I had more time to do.

But I'm excited to get back, and my game's in good shape.

Q. What was the experience like playing without any fans at Colonial? Did you like that more than with a big crowd out there?
BRIAN HARMAN: I enjoy having the crowds out there for sure. It was odd because you could hear so much more on the course than you normally can. Usually, there's a kind of a fan murmur that sort of drowns out other tee shots and stuff like that.

Over the course of the last seven, eight years, we've had four or five days where we haven't had fans because of weather or some other circumstances. And, man, you know, I played a little bit of golf on the mini tours and played plenty in college with no fans, so it's not that foreign to us, but it's definitely preferable to have them out there.

Q. This week is like a home court for you almost. You usually got all the family and friends out. What will be the experience like without them out here to kind of cheer you on this week?
BRIAN HARMAN: Well, it's -- having all the friends and family can really help, or it can hurt sometimes. You put all this extra pressure on yourself to try to do well. With no fans and no family and friends, it's more just about the golf. So I'm going to try to take this opportunity to try to focus on the golf and try to do the best I can.

Q. A couple of things. What did you experience last week? With one week under your belt, what did you experience last week that will help you this week?
BRIAN HARMAN: I put in a new set of irons that I'd been working on through the break. It's always been kind of my big disappointment with my golf game over the years has just been kind of my mid to long iron play. So I tried some new irons last week. My strokes on approach to the green was better than it usually is there. So I'm excited about that.

I didn't drive the ball particularly well last week, which is usually one of my strong points. I feel like that will come back sooner than later, and I'm excited to get going.

Q. What about virus related? What did you experience last week because of the COVID-19 protocols that will help you going forward this week?
BRIAN HARMAN: I think just getting all of the new protocols kind of figured out and getting comfortable with everything -- where to go, how to keep our distance, how to -- what all the new regulations are. Having a week of that for everyone to get used to. Yeah, I didn't hear of anybody failing any of the tests from last week. So I think we did a pretty good job.

Q. Last, would you put on 40 pounds to gain 20-mile-per-hour ball speed?
BRIAN HARMAN: Man, I'm 33. I'm not sure I could put on 40 pounds. I try to eat as much as I can in the off-season. It's tough for me to keep weight on during the year. I'm not sure how you put on 40 pounds.

Q. You talked about last week and some of the things you guys learned. You guys are mostly creatures of habit. What's the one routine that you were kind of thrown by that you couldn't do anymore last week?
BRIAN HARMAN: Usually -- I think it's the dining. We're so used to coming in and just being catered to. All this food is just everywhere. It's just a little bit more planning to where you're going to get your meals from.

And then we just have to be conscious because, like if I finish early on a Wednesday, I want to go to see a movie or something like that, and it's odd being on the road and being kind of like it is at home. Like you kind of have to stay in, and we're trying not to go out too much.

Then like they tricked me here. The entrance to get into the clubhouse is in a totally different spot. It's fine, man. We're glad to be out here. The mild inconvenience we've had to go through is very trivial, I think.

Q. And I don't know what your comfort level was coming into this, but having gone through the process last week, has it increased?
BRIAN HARMAN: I think with the testing, I think everyone feels a little bit better. I don't think anyone expected for no one to test positive for this thing through a couple weeks. So I feel like the TOUR's doing a good job. We're all doing a good job. We'll just keep trying to do our best and keep monitoring it.

Q. I'm interested in your thoughts on Heritage and Hilton Head and Harbour Town and June versus April. How does this schedule change, not following the Masters here, what's different about this week and this time?
BRIAN HARMAN: Well, I'll be interested to get out and see the course with no overseed. I don't know if I've ever actually played the course during the summertime. Every time I've come, it's been early to try to play it before the tournament or during the tournament, but I tend to enjoy courses that don't have overseed and are strictly Bermuda. I'll be looking forward to it.

I haven't seen it yet. I'm going to go out and play nine this afternoon and nine tomorrow, and I'll have a better idea then.

Q. How does it play differently with no overseed once you get into the warm season here?
BRIAN HARMAN: Well, I think the fairways will probably be a little bit tougher to hit because the ball's not going to stop as fast, but conversely, the greens are going to be a little harder to hit, and they're already small. They should play a little bit firmer. They probably won't roll quite as good as they do with that real tight overseed. But the greens are small enough and they're flat enough that I'd imagine guys are still going to make a lot of putts around here.

THE MODERATOR: We appreciate the time, Brian. Best of luck this week.

BRIAN HARMAN: Thanks, guys. Appreciate it.

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