THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 16, 2024

Brian Harman

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. They talk about this golf course not really suiting anyone's game, that a long player can play here or a short player. Do you think that's why you've found success here?

BRIAN HARMAN: I don't know. I think it's a great test of golf. I think if you go out and execute a bunch of golf shots and think your way around this place, you can shoot a low number, or if you don't you can shoot a high number. This tournament has produced a variety of winners. It's hard to defend. I think that's good for golf. That could just be me being selfish that, like at the bombers' tracks I have less of a chance, but I enjoy coming here. I feel like it's a fair test, and I think that's probably why I've done okay here.

Q. When the TV cameras start coming out, fans gather, some guys might shrink. It kind of has the opposite effect on you.

BRIAN HARMAN: Well, there's certainly times early in my career when the TV cameras start showing up and I'm like, Ok, great, now they want to film me or whatever. But nowadays it's like, Well, they're here because I'm playing well, and I'd rather be playing well than not playing well, so we'll just go with that.

Q. When you're making putts like that, is there something you can detect in your stroke that you know you're going to start holing a bunch of them?

BRIAN HARMAN: No, the holing putts never really is predictable, but the things I can predict are how well I've been working on my stroke, my mechanics, the stuff I have to do in order to hit a bunch of good putts. I'm just trying to start the ball on the line I think that's going to make it go in. It's an imperfect surface and, you know, a robot doesn't make them all from 10 feet. So there's a little bit of chance and luck involved with that, and you've just got to wait your turn.

Q. What was the lie like on 9?

BRIAN HARMAN: Wow, so, yeah, so left, way left. Tried to go righty, had a big clump in front, righty into the roots. I actually got relief because the only play I had was righty out of the roots, and I chipped out. Really good bogey. Really nice 5-wood from the fairway, two-putt.

Q. Are you a natural righty or lefty?

BRIAN HARMAN: I'm a natural righty. I can hit it okay righty. That one only went about six feet. I think that's only the first -- I haven't hit it right-handed more than five times out here for sure.

Q. You're a major champion, you're a grown man, but Thursday getting beat --

BRIAN HARMAN: Damn right. (Laughing.)

Q. With Wyndham playing so well, and getting beat by seven, is there anything demoralizing when you walk off the golf course and what changed?

BRIAN HARMAN: No, no, not really. I tied him on Friday, so I was really happy with that. When you get an elite player like Wyndham that's making putts and doing the things he's doing, it's like, well -- I mean, 72 holes, maybe I'll get a chance, maybe I won't. No, it's certainly not demoralizing. Just because you know that this place can flip -- very rarely does someone win by a bunch here, and it's usually pretty stacked in there tight.

Q. What's been the biggest difference for you over these last two rounds compared to the first round?

BRIAN HARMAN: The first round was really frustrating because my preparation was so good this week. My coach and I, Justin Parsons, have been working so hard. I played really well at Bay Hill last week, which is a place where, normally, I don't play well there. So it's usually like, man, if I'm playing good here, I'm ready to roll. I felt really good. Tuesday and Wednesday was great. Then Thursday was just a dud. Just one of those days, just, I don't know, just some bad oatmeal, I mean, who knows, just one of those days. The last two days have felt more like what my preparation was like. So frustrating that I couldn't get off to a better start, but at least I know that the prep that I was doing, I knew I was going to play well at some point.

Q. You've got a major under your belt already. What would winning this event mean to you?

BRIAN HARMAN: I mean, this is -- this is my favorite PGA TOUR event of the year. I love coming here. They treat us like kings when we show up. The golf course is incredible. I've been close a couple times. I'm really excited for tomorrow.

Q. How do these last two rounds affect your mentality and game plan going into tomorrow?

BRIAN HARMAN: They can't. You just don't know. You don't know what tomorrow is going to be like. It's supposed to be light winds, kind of like it's been, but I'll just be trying to get into a really good frame of mind, good warmup, and hit the first fairway.

Q. What have you been doing so well that you were so confident with your warmups this week?

BRIAN HARMAN: So for me, the litmus test is being able to hit a full iron shot and not have it over draw. When I'm playing really well -- and that allows me to attack left like tucked left flags. I know I can attack a right flag because my natural shot is a draw, but when I can attack a left flag with a softer shot, then I know that puts me in four or five more holes a day. That's four or five more chances that I might get during that day.

Q. Is that more important this week?

BRIAN HARMAN: I mean, for me, I look at it as, like over the course of the year, like how many more chances I get if I can execute that shot. I know if I'm executing that shot on the range, then it's just up to me to do it on the golf course.

Q. Is that a fade or just a two-yard draw --

BRIAN HARMAN: I don't know. You'll have to stand behind me. For me it looks like it's fading. It's probably dead straight.

Q. Just the tee shot on 18, right-handers talk about how difficult it is. Do you find it equally difficult?

BRIAN HARMAN: Yeah, it's tough, especially like, normally that wind is southwest, which is like down off the left. I don't really feel super comfortable fading a 3-wood, so I just end up in that pine straw every time pretty much, unless I hit it perfect.