For the love of the game
British Open 2024: Brian Harman makes surprising prize money admission heading into Royal Troon
Ross Kinnaird
There’s playing for the love of the game and then there’s playing for the love of the game. We’ll never know for sure if Brian Harman is in the latter category—it’s not like he’s giving his millions back to the R&A—but the defending Open champion confessed that the money means less to him than it does to his fellow pros.
Speaking to the media before his major victory defense this week, Harman was asked whether he’d play in the event for less money, or no money at all. “I would, personally,” Harman admitted. He made sure to note that he would certainly be in the minority here.
“I’m not sure everyone would, but I would,” he said. “Some people care more about money than I do, I suppose.
“I play golf for me. Like 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 that I made that week.”
The most relatable thing here is the “torturing.” Playing golf for no money, or to ultimately lose money, is something that many of us do on a weekly basis.
Harman, on the other hand, won $3 million last year at Royal Liverpool and has made $37,726,934 on tour. This year’s Open has a $17 million purse with a $3.1M check ready to go for the winner. We’re sure Harman won’t refuse the money if he’s able to beat the odds and go back-to-back at the last major of the year, but we respect his candor when it comes to how much the money means to him.
It also doesn’t sound like Brian Harman will be joining LIV Golf anytime soon. More money, less golf? Sounds like hell to this major champ.