Brian Harman’s extraordinary temperament that Unflappable was on full display last week at the Valero Texas Open. He ran into the lead despite the notoriously stiff wind conditions at the Oaks course. On top of everything, winds gusting up to 30 mph added another tough obstacle for players to overcome. That meant the tournament average score was around two shots over par on average.
Harman wrapped up the day with an even-par 72, giving him a three-shot cushion as the day’s closest competitor. It was a dominating performance that has rarely been equaled given that only six players in his field broke par. The difficult conditions were compounded by the par-5 holes, which played exceptionally hard and made scoring difficult all week long.
Harman continued to dazzle with his equally extraordinary short game, especially on the 9th hole. Indeed, he played the last 13 holes without a bogey on his card. His plan turned out to be just what was needed. He carded two late round sand trap birdies, on the par-5 14th hole and reachable par-4 17th, getting back to even par after being as much as 2 over in the round.
“Just leaning on my short game today, chipped it in there close a few times,” – Brian Harman
Tom Hoge took second place, four strokes back from Harman at 12-under 204. He acknowledged the difficulties presented by the course, stating, “Just tried to make as many pars as I could.” His flawless play thrust him firmly into contention as the tournament wore on.
This left Andrew Novak three shots back of Harman, leaving Novak in sole third. Novak had to deal with his own adversity, battling the tough winds and course layout. He reflected on his round with a note of caution about shot placement: “Obviously, not a great shot, but I know if it’s over there, there’s some space, it can be OK.”
The Oaks course served as a daunting test for all players, with only a few holes offering a realistic chance for a birdie. Mitchell noted that the 14th and 17th holes were among the few chances for birdies during the round: “That (17) and 14 were really the only two birdie chances we had all day.”
As competitors prepare for the final rounds of the Valero Texas Open, they will need to adapt to the ongoing windy conditions that have characterized this year’s tournament. It was such a daunting test that only a handful of players even managed to break par. Resilience and smart play will be key in determining who walks away the champion.
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