“It caught me off guard a little” - 2023 Open Champion Brian Harman gives details about ejection of ‘heckling’ fan from the tournament 

It has been almost two weeks since Brian Harman claimed his first major title after winning the 2023 Open Championship. His victory at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, was one of the most dominating wins in recent times.

Recently, the newly crowned Champion Golfer of the Year attended the GOLF’s Subpar Podcast. He shed some light on the ejection of a ‘heckling’ fan who chased him at the major tournament. He talked about the whole incident:

"It turned on Saturday, it turned hard. It caught me off guard a little bit, but it didn't affect my play, which I was really proud of. It felt like a real hostile away game in college football."

You can listen to the entire podcast on this Spotify link.

Brian Harman with the Claret Jug at the 2023 Open Championship (via Getty Images)

Harman also shared that whenever he used to walk three feet, someone or the other used to poke him with something unpleasant. He said:

"On the [football] field, you are a long way from it. When you walk three feet from someone [on the golf course] and they say something nasty, it's intimate. It's hard not to stop and turn around and get back after them."

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"You are going to choke!" - When a fan poked Brian Harman during the 2023 Open Championship

During the final major of the season, the 36-year-old had an incident when he had to ask the officials to remove a fan who constantly behaved disrespectfully.

Speaking about the same incident at the 2023 Open Championship, Brian Harman revealed how the fan followed him and repeatedly said 'You are going to choke!'. Harman said on GOLF’s Subpar Podcast:

"The guy followed me from like No. 6 to No. 10 Sunday, and literally like, every time over the ball he was like, 'You are going to choke!' Like, right as I was about to pull it back. And I'm standing over a three-footer for par on 10, and he starts getting after me again. It was my turn to play a shot, you can't be quiet, you are out of here."

Later on, Brian Harman also mentioned how he pointed out the fan at the 11th tee and asked the security to remove him from the field.

Brian Harman gives a fist pump to a fan after winning the 2023 Open Championship (via Getty Images)

He also elucidated the fact that there were a few fans who were supporting him, despite a number of fans not in his corner.

"For me, you can say anything. You can't hurt my feelings. I've heard it all. But you have to respect my turn. This is my opportunity to hit a golf shot. I'm going to have my turn," said Harman.

Brian Harman's first major title win fetched him a whopping $3 million paycheck and the prestigious Claret Jug. He also earned the title of Champion Golfer of the Year.

After his 2023 Open Championship win, he also secured a place in the upcoming Ryder Cup 2023 in Zach Johnson-captained US Team.