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4 months ago
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Brian Harman has insisted he would play at The Open for free after tournament chiefs admitted they are concerned about escalating prize funds.
Harman was the spectacular winner of last year's Championship at Royal Liverpool and he was understandably emotional on Monday after handing back The Claret Jug – from which he has drunk 'unusually expensive wine' over the last 12 months – to R & A Chief Executive Martin Slumber.
There is a £13million kitty up for grabs this week in Scotland, £2.38m of which will go to the winner on Sunday and Harman is bidding to become the first man since Padraig Harrington (2007 and 2008) to retain his title.
The increase in winnings certainly has something to do with the financial threat that has been posed by LIV Golf but Slumber is uncomfortable with the way in which money is dominating and has warned about the long-term dangers presented by cranking up prize money.
Those golfers who miss the cut this weekend will still get a pay cheque but dollar bills were the furthest thing from Harman's mind, as he outlined why The Open remains the greatest title of all and the kudos it carries.
Brian Harman won the Claret Jug at last year's edition of The Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club
Ahead of the 2024 competition, Harman returned his trophy to Martin Slumbers (right)
Asked if he would play for nothing other than the trophy, Harman replied: Yeah, I would personally.
'I'm not sure everyone would, but I would. Why? Some people care more about money than I do, I suppose. I play golf to... I play golf for me.
'I play golf to see how good I can get at golf. I play golf because I enjoy torturing myself with things that are really hard to do. That's just me!
'Most times when I get done with a tournament, I couldn't tell you within commas of how much I made that week.'
What Harman could tell you, though, was the feelings that followed his triumph on the Wirral, when he led from first round to last.
It was only a couple of months later, when the 37-year-old was on his farm in Georgia that the enormity of his achievement sank in.
Harman, 37, spoke to the media at a press conference at Royal Troon on Monday afternoon
American Harman hypothetically claimed that he would be willing to play The Open for free
'We spend so much time playing in front of people,' said Harman.
'A lot of us kind of crave going to a place where there's no one watching, there's nothing. You're just there.
'I don't know if that makes sense or not. It's somewhere to disappear and just really enjoy time.'
English (US)