By Martyn Herman
HOYLAKE (Reuters) – First-time major champions could be excused for celebrating with some lavish spending — perhaps a new sports car, boat or house.
Not under-stated American Brian Harman.
After the unheralded 36-year-old won the British Open at rain-drenched Royal Liverpool on Sunday, he said part of his $3 million prize would be used to pay for his new tractor.
Harman grew up in Georgia and lives on St. Simons Island where he has a hunting estate — spending some of his spare time preying on his animals with a crossbow.
“I’m a bow hunter, no new rifles. I had a nice week a couple weeks ago and I bought a new tractor for my hunting place,” he told reporters after a romping six-stroke win in which he never allowed his pursuers to get close.
“I’ll get home and I’ll be on the tractor mowing grass in the next few weeks, so I’m excited about that.”
Harman, whose scuba diving skills might have been necessary if Sunday’s fourth round had gone on much longer, certainly will not be putting his feet up and bathing in the glow of his new-found status as major champion.
“I haven’t seen it yet. It’s on order. It’s a 105 horsepower Kybota tractor and it’s going to be a pretty one, it’s orange,” Harman, who plays golf left-handed but does everything else with his right, explained when asked to elaborate.
“Let’s see, we’ve got about 25 acres of food plots that need mowing and, I don’t know how many miles of roads, but I’d call it probably 40 acres total that needs to get mowed,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of layers, man. I’m like an onion.”
Harman, who came close to winning the U.S. Open in 2017 when coming second and whose last win on the PGA Tour had been in that year, said he would drink some Guinness from the Claret Jug before flying home to be with Kelly.
But he won’t be disclosing how much his new wheels cost.
“Oh gosh,” he said how much a new tractor costs these day. “I don’t know. I haven’t told my wife how much I spent on it.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman)
