Hoylake was a rainy mess on Sunday. But the golf was somehow calm and serene, a mystifying object of beauty only possible at a major championship. Brian Harman was so far ahead, and despite two days of intriguing drama, there was nothing even the most deviant of prayers could do to unsettle the butcher from Savannah. Faced with the prospect of a maiden tryst with major glory, Harman was as sturdy as the tide barrier in Venice. In a sense, Shubhankar Sharma was just as robust too. Sharma was the lone bogey-free card on Sunday, a 70, minted from the hot gold of tenacity. The Indian achieved an unmatched top ten at the Open, bettering the T27 by Jyoti Randhawa in the 2004 Open at Royal Troon.
Harman stumbled ever so little at the start, offering the desperate chase a sliver of hope. It turned out to be a trope. A painful mirage for those on the trail, already sore from wiping all the rainwater from their wet eyes. He conceded shots at the second and fifth, dropping to ten. Jon Rahm at 7-under may have licked his fingers in delight. But unfortunately for the Spaniard, the bulldog in his spirit couldn’t light up the embers of his clubs. Rahm remained stitched to the ground at that number for most of his round.
Rory McIlroy was also striving to produce a final round rumble, but despite his best efforts, the putts would graze the edges. At other times, the drive would lead him astray, leaving McIlroy in a bruising battle to remain unscathed. Eventually, after another narrow miss at the 72nd hole, he signed for a skillful 68, just enough for a 30th top ten in 59 major appearances. Sepp Straka, Tom Kim, and Emiliano Grillo were among those that made notable gains on Sunday, but no man came close enough to tickle the tail of Harman. Hoylake was the butcher’s tale and the Georgian wasn’t willing to share it with anyone.
It was a Sunday to remember at Hoylake, not entirely pleasant for many. The rain finally descended on Royal Liverpool, pouring down bucketfuls of piercing showers. The windchill can make your muscles tighten, no surprise watching Shubhankar Sharma spray his tee shot left as he began, perhaps the biggest round yet of his career. Naturally, an edgy putt right to left gave him much cheer at the start of it all. When he followed that with an excellent par on the second, it was clear that Shubhankar was eager to buckle down for another gritty effort under the worst of conditions this week.
Grit, tenacity, and determination have been the 15th club for Shubhankar this week. And a spotless final round 70 was the reward for a week of sustained brilliance for the Chandigarh golfer. At 5-under, Shubhankar secured T8, enough to guarantee a place at Royal Troon next year. And a bunch of further interest from around the international circuit. The performance will also serve to bolster his confidence for the remainder of the European Tour events this year, leading to the finale in the desert during the third week of November. There was only one card without a bogey on Sunday. It belonged to Shubhankar. Yes, it wasn’t a victory, but the finish was a pure display of grit and character.
In a group well ahead of Shubhankar, Rory McIlroy was spraying the ball left and right too. But he was also being masterful with the recovery. He drained one from 48 feet on the third hole, firing it like a dart destined for the heart of the cup. It brought the loudest cheer from an eager crowd hungry for an Irish feast. Despite his best efforts, the putts refused to drop as the day progressed. In the end, it was all that McIlroy could do to earn yet another top-ten finish in a glittering career punctuated with 30 top-ten finishes in 58 major appearances. Stuck at four since 2014, McIlroy might be yearning for a Win, but his consistency isn’t something to brush aside easily.
Tom Kim (67), Sepp Straka (69), Jason Day (69), and Jon Rahm (70) brought up the distant pack in second. They were all tied at 7-under, grasping desperately at the highest honour possible for them on Sunday. McIlroy (68) and Emiliano Grillo (68) finished in T6 at 6-under. They were one shot ahead of Sharma (70) and Cameron Young (73), who fell from the final group with Harman.
After all, Brian Harman was in a league of his own. Having steadied the rocking boat with imperious control at the 6th and 7th holes, Harman drove the final wedge at the par-5 15th to alienate himself from the rest of the field. Harman did more than enough to wipe out any bad memories that may have lingered from his dissolution at the 2017 US Open, when he surrendered a five-stroke advantage to the relentless attack of Brooks Koepka.
Since charging ahead on Friday, Harman played with an assured clarity that is reserved for the champions of golf. Now he shall celebrate being the Champion Golfer of 2023 and take the Claret Jug home to the envy of his wife, children and friends.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
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