Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson knows Brian Harman on and off the course. As the former Bulldog was running away with the Open Championship, Johnson gave him a vote of confidence regarding his Ryder Cup spot following his third round.
Brian Harman gets vote of confidence from Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson amid Open Championship dominance
Brian Harman gets an endorsement from Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson as the former Bulldog runs away with The Open.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
“What is transpiring this week, I would even say last week, and the last couple tournaments he’s played in does not surprise me in the least,” Johnson said.
Harman decimated The Open field, finishing at 13-under par. Four men finished tied for second six shots back.
Johnson and Harman are friends off of the course. Both men live on St. Simons Island in coastal Georgia. That area has become a hub for professional golfers as 15 PGA Tour players live there — they’re a tight-knit group.
Johnson compared his game to Harman’s.
“He hits it a little further. He’s gritty,” Johnson said. “He’s got a great ensemble of coaches and a team. What I’ve seen — it’s three days, but what I’ve seen so far in three days has not surprised me.”
Johnson will have to make some tough decisions about who will fill his American Ryder Cup team. After Harman’s performance this week, maybe Johnson will have one less pick to make.
“He is a very formidable competitor, number one. Number two, what does Brian Harman do really well? Well, he does everything quite well,” Johnson said. “He’s a very good driver of the golf ball and a very, very, very good putter. Then if everything else is good, then it can be pretty lethal.”
Johnson didn’t directly come out and say there is a spot on the Ryder Cup team for Harman. However, with how the 36-year-old is playing right now, it could be very beneficial for the Americans when they take on the Europeans in Italy in September.
