YOU can easily see where Brian Harmon’s mind was at when he packed for the US PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic last week.
Harmon hadn’t won an event in his three full seasons on the tour and there was just one remaining British Open qualifying spot up for grabs but he still wanted to be prepared.
The 27 year old held the lead going into the final round at the TPC Deere Run in Illinois and held off all challengers in a high scoring nail-biting final day.
Harmon had three straight birdies on 14, 15 and 16 to give himself a two stroke-buffer over mate Zach Johnson heading to the 18th hole.
“It was very hard, probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried to do in my life,” Harman told the media afterwards. “Just trying not to let your mind run wild is the hardest part out there.”
But he had obviously already let his mind run a little wild some time earlier.
“I brought my passport,” he admitted immediately after sinking his bogey putt on the last to secure his start at Royal Liverpool. “And a couple of jackets. I can’t wait to get on that plane.”
Harman, whose best previous finishes were ties for third place, also earned his first invitations to the US Masters Tournament and the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Harmon finished with a 5-under 65 on 22-under with Johnson (64) on 21-under and Jhonattan Vegas (65) and Jerry Kelly (66) tied third on 19-under.
Steve Bowditch finished with a 68 to end the event on 15-under tied for 11th along with three-time champion Steve Stricker (72). Bowditch wasn’t one of those taking the after tournament charter flight to England, but it did include John Senden (68) who finished on 8-under and T45.