Brian Harman

Brian Harman was on his 60-acre Georgia farm when the magnitude of being Champion Golfer of the Year finally hit him.

Rumbling along in his tractor, in the middle of winter, and with no one around him, the week that changed his life replayed in his mind – each drive, each putt, each birdie.

It was one of the great Open performances, a six-shot victory that felt like more.

Performances like that seldom come along, especially at The Open, but Harman, who returned the Claret Jug on Monday, had a warning for the rest of the field: he’s ready to do it all over again.

The 37-year-old is well-aware history is not on his side in his quest to go back-to-back. Padraig Harrington was the last player to successfully defend the Claret Jug, and that was 16 years ago at Royal Birkdale.

Indeed only 15 men have won The Open two years in a row, and just three – Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Harrington – in the past 50 years.

But anyone who watched Harman at Royal Liverpool a year ago will be hesitant to write him off.

“I had one day. I was at my farm, and it's wintertime, and I'm riding my four-wheeler. I just kind of like had a moment where it's just me. It's cold, and it was just like I was so happy that I was there,” he said.

“It's nice to be The Open Champion and still be doing the same thing that I would have been doing otherwise.

“In my opinion, it's the coolest trophy in all of sports. I think it's deserving of all of the pageantry that is involved with it.

“It's been a great year. I am a little sad to give it back but I'll remember everywhere it's been forever. I'm happy to give it back, happy to be here.”

Harman’s all-round game is in good shape but he admits he needs to rediscover the touch he had on the greens last year.

The left-hander has not won on the PGA Tour this season but he has 10 top-25 finishes, three top-10s and a runners-up finish at the Players Championship in March.

It’s solid, yet not spectacular stuff, and he says putting is just one ingredient he needs to bring his game all together.

“My stats this year have been really good. My ball striking has been as good as it's ever been,” he said.

“The only thing I haven't done well this year is I haven't putted especially well. I'm just kind of waiting for it all to line up correctly.

“You can work and work and work. You just never know when that work is going to pay off. You never know when the peak is coming. You never know when you're going to catch a little bit of momentum. So you just have to hope it's a big week.

“Like I said, I've worked really hard, and my game is in really good shape. I'm happy with what I'm going into this week.”

First, he needs to scout out Royal Troon for the first time. Harman was not in the field for The 146th Open in 2016, and instead watched Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson’s epic battle from home.

He has heard all about the famously deep bunkers and the par-3 eighth Postage Stamp and went for his first practice round on Monday afternoon.

Like Stenson, Harman had to wait for his first major win but last summer’s success is confirmation that in the white heat of battle, he can win the game’s biggest prize.

“Now I know that if things go my way, I'm well prepared. I'm a tough guy to beat, and if I just prepare the proper way, then take care of what I can do, then I'll give myself the best opportunity to have another chance,” he said.

“I try and be myself. That way I don't ever have to pretend to be something I'm not. That's just kind of the way I've always done it.”