Tag: Brian Harman

Brian Harman witnessed the two most amazing aces in golf this year in Scottsdale, Augusta National

Brian Harman: “I’ve been watching a lot of holes-in-one lately.”

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Brian Harman’s second round at the 2022 Masters on Friday started on a spectacular note.

He holed out from the right bunker for an eagle 3 on the 575-yard, par-5 second hole. That shot, per Masters tradition, earned him a pair of Crystal Glasses.

However, it wasn’t enough to get Harman to the weekend, as his scores of 74 and 75 kept him one stroke from making the cut.

Along the way, though, Harman was witness to a hole-in-one. On the 16th hole, playing partner Stewart Cink made an ace at the par-3, 170 yard hole. He did it on his son/caddie Reagan’s 24th birthday. It was the 24th ace in Masters history at the 16th, and the sixth for Cink in his PGA Tour career.

Harman witnessed another, much more raucous, hole-in-one earlier this season at TPC Scottsdale.

It also happened on the 16th hole at the wet and wild WM Phoenix Open. You remember that one: Sam Ryder’s Saturday ace ignited a beer-can launch sequence that would certainly never happen at Augusta National.

In Phoenix, Harman was next to hit but had to wait about 15 minutes for the grounds crew to pick up the thousands of aluminum beer cans and bottles.

“The rules official asked me if I wanted to hit with all the beer cans out there,” he said. “I declined and asked them to go clean it up.”

At Augusta, Harman said: “I was there in Phoenix for that shot Sam hit. I’ve been watching a lot of holes-in-one lately.”

Dennis Knight of  the Savannah Morning News contributed to this article.

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Ever since Keith Mitchell listened to Michael Phelps, things have gone swimmingly

Mitchell thought back to the record-shattering swimming king he credits with helping to transform his career.

For Keith Mitchell, maybe Michael Phelps made the difference.

Yes, that Michael Phelps.

After Mitchell finished his round at The Players Championship, he thought back to the record-shattering swimming king he credits with helping to transform his career.

“I just remember feeling like a loser talking to him sometimes, how I felt on the golf course, like pity and sorrow, and this game is hard,” Mitchell recalled from his meeting with Phelps. “He just pretty much said there’s no place for that if you want to be at the top.”

A pep talk that paid off.

Nearly eight months away from NCAA football champion Georgia’s scheduled trip to the First Coast for the Florida-Georgia gridiron classic, Mitchell and Brian Harman brought some Bulldog bark to The Players Championship.

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Mitchell battled to a 5-under 67, one shot off the lead, and Harman rallied from a shaky start to ascend the leaderboard with a 4-under 68 to highlight a promising day for the Southeast Georgia contingent in Thursday’s storm-disrupted first round.

The Sea Island, Ga. residents, separated by only 12 spots in the World Golf Ranking — Harman at 61st, Mitchell at 73rd — took The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass by storm.

They wouldn’t be the first Southeast Georgia residents to lift the trophy, a list that most famously includes two-time champion Davis Love III.

Mitchell stayed nearly trouble-free, including an eagle at No. 9 to wrap up the front nine in 33. He then birdied No. 12, No. 13 and No. 16 on his way home to a 67. If not for a bogey at 18, Mitchell would have finished as the Thursday night co-leader alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Hoge. He didn’t get out on Friday before a weather delay.

His mindset, he said, is different now. For that, Mitchell points to his meeting with 23-time Olympic gold medalist Phelps.

“We had dinner a long time ago in Phoenix and he was talking about some really thoughtful things that apply to every sport,” Mitchell said. “I’ll never forget, it really made an impact on me. It’s not just your typical golf stuff like one shot at a time and stay patient. It was more of kind of how to act and focus on the course, which is how you would do in swim meets.”

The Players: How to watch | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

Mitchell’s only PGA Tour victory came in 2019 at the Honda Classic, but he’s been piling up the top-15 finishes of late: six already this season, including a tie for 12th at Sea Island in the RSM Classic last fall.

“[Phelps] was kind of helping me through some like downs and kind of really hit the reset button about a year ago,” he said. “That kind of started everything.”

Mitchell has started well at the Stadium Course before. His issue was the finish.

In 2018, he shot an opening-round 67, only to follow up with a 75 and a 78 that plunged him down into a tie for 77th. His best finish at The Players came in 2019, when he shot a 71 and a 65 before fading over the weekend to 3 under for the tournament and a tie for 47th.

This time, he’s more confident.

“I’ve had a little bit of time to adjust to the spotlight a little bit at this golf tournament, because in the Stadium on 17 and 18 is really unlike any other golf course and any other tournament,” he said. “We all players treat this like a major, so it feels like it when you’re out there. That would have been my first major [in 2018], and I definitely did not handle it very well, so hopefully I can do better.”

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Harman, meanwhile, didn’t let his afternoon slip away after back-to-back bogeys.

The day brought a superb finish for Harman, who turned his Thursday around as the first golfer to hit a shot on the back nine, opening the delayed round at 7:45 a.m. A too-short approach on No. 10 led to a bogey, and he dropped another stroke after finding water on No. 11. But he found a rhythm after the weather delay, with birdies on No. 2, No. 4, No. 6 and No. 9.

That rhythm has been a recurring theme for Harman at TPC Sawgrass, particularly since the tournament’s move to March. Harman owns three top-10 finishes here, including two since the schedule switch: a tie for eighth in 2019 and a tie for third in 2021.

The numbers say Sunday could bring the strains of “Glory, Glory to Old Georgia” to the First Coast. Since 2008, 11 former University of Georgia players have combined for 38 PGA Tour victories.

What might be even sweeter than victory at The Players? For Bulldogs like Mitchell and Harman, maybe winning The Players as a Bulldog in Gator Country.

“It’s tough seeing a lot of Gator fans out there for sure, but I got a few ‘Go Dawgs,'” Mitchell said, “so hopefully they’ll be around for the weekend.”

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.

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Hudson Swafford goes low late on Sunday to run away with 2022 American Express title

Swafford ran away with the win thanks to some late-round heroics.

If you spent your Sunday afternoon and evening watching the NFL playoffs, you saw some exciting football. But you also missed some exciting golf.

During the final round of the 2022 American Express three players were tied for the lead at 20 under par with another six within three shots late in the action at the Stadium Course at PGA West, but it was Hudson Swafford who prevailed in the end. The 34-year-old shot an 8-under 64 to win at 23 under for his third win on Tour and first since the 2020 Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship. His first win came at the American Express in 2017.

American Express: Leaderboard

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Swafford broke the three-way tie atop the leaderboard with Francesco Molinari and Brian Harman with an eagle on the par-5 16th to move to 22 under. He grabbed some more breathing room with a clutch birdie from the edge of the green on the par-3 17th to take a three-shot advantage to the 18th tee.

A Swafford par on the 18th meant Tom Hoge needed to hole-out for eagle on his 72nd hole, which he did not. The 32-year-old Hoge finished second at 21 under, followed by Brian Harman, Lanto Griffin and Lee Hodges all T-3 at 20 under.

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2021 John Deere Classic Fantasy Golf Power Rankings

The John Deere Classic returns to the PGA Tour schedule in 2021 after last year’s event was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The John Deere Classic returns to the PGA Tour schedule in 2021 after last year’s event was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A rather weak field is at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, for the final event ahead of The Open Championship. Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings and odds for the 2021 John Deere Classic, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Brian Harman and Daniel Berger headline the field as the eighth- and ninth-ranked golfers, respectively, in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. Dylan Frittelli is back as the reigning champion of the John Deere Classic from 2019.

TPC Deere Run is a par 71 playing to 7,268 yards. All but two of the last 11 champions of the John Deere Classic finished 20-under par or better.

Also see: John Deere Classic odds, picks and predictions

2021 John Deere Classic: Fantasy Golf Top 20

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday at 10:20 a.m. ET.

20. Sebastian Munoz (+6000)

Tied for 37th in 2019 after a missed cut in his first appearance at TPC Deere Run in 2017. He had a season-best finish of T-3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge before three straight missed cuts against stronger fields, but he rebounded with a T-67 last week.

19. Denny McCarthy (+10000)

Missed the cut in four of his last six events but had a couple of strong showings early this year including a T-3 at The Honda Classic. One of the top putters in this field with 0.53 Strokes Gained: Putting per round on the 2020-21 season.

18. Sepp Straka (+6600)

Collected his second top-10 finish of 2021 at the Travelers Championship before missing the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He was fifth in the field among those who made the cut at the Travelers in SG: Approach.

17. Doug Ghim (+6600)

Back up to 217th in the Official World Golf Ranking with three made cuts in his last four events including a T-14 finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Twenty-ninth on Tour in driving accuracy and averaging 0.87 SG: Tee-to-Green through 60 measured rounds this season.

16. Dylan Frittelli (+8000)

The 2019 champion of the John Deere Classic missed the cut in 10 of his 15 events this year with his lone top-10 finish being a T-9 in the WGC-Match Play. He has made just one appearance at TPC Deere Run but his 3.27 strokes gained on the field per round lead this year’s contingent.

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15. Beau Hossler (+6600)

Has been riding a hot putter to three straight top-25 finishes. He was fifth in the field among those who made the cut with 1.48 SG: Putting at TPC Deere Run in 2019.

14. Seamus Power (+3300)

Made the cut in each of the last three runnings of the John Deere Classic and has averaged 0.51 strokes gained on the field per round over his 12 rounds at this venue. He has made seven straight cuts on the PGA Tour with two top-10 finishes in that stretch.

13. Hank Lebioda (+4500)

Tied for fourth at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic with 1.52 SG: Putting per round. That’s the strongest part of his game and it’s often the difference at TPC Deere Run.

12. Zach Johnson (+4000)

His 62 rounds played at TPC Deere Run are the most in this field by a comfortable margin and he has averaged 1.55 strokes gained per round. He tied for 25th at the Travelers Championship two weeks ago.

11. Aaron Wise (+4000)

Averaging 0.97 SG: Tee-to-Green and 0.42 SG: Approach per round for the season. Has two top-10 finishes in his last five events.

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10. Si Woo Kim (+3300)

Will be focused on the John Deere Classic this week after withdrawing from The Open Championship in favor of the Olympics. He’ll be trying to get his game in top form for Tokyo.

9. Chez Reavie (+6000)

Twenty-eight career rounds played at TPC Deere Run with 0.16 strokes gained on the field per round. His putting has been disastrous this season, but he’s fourth on Tour in driving accuracy.

8. Cameron Davis (+3000)

Last week’s champ was near the top of the field in both SG: Around-the-Green and SG: Tee-to-Green. He does the bulk of his scoring on par 5s but will have one less opportunity this week at the shorter Deere Run.

7. Alex Noren (+2800)

Picked up his first top-10 finish of 2021 with a T-4 showing last week in a stronger field than this. He was strong across the board while averaging 1.70 SG: Tee-to-Green, 0.67 SG: Off-the-Tee and 0.64 SG: Around-the-Green.

6. Kevin Streelman (+2200)

Didn’t play this event in 2019 but tied for seventh in 2018 with a field-best 1.19 SG: Around-the-Green per round. He had four straight top-20 finishes before missing the cut at the Travelers Championship.

5. Kevin Na (+4500)

Leads all qualified golfers with 0.63 SG: Around-the-Green through 58 measured rounds this season. He’s also 36th in driving accuracy and is looking for his second win of 2021.

4. Russell Henley (+1800)

The 2019 runner-up is 46th on Tour in driving accuracy and tied for 14th in par 4 efficiency from this week’s key distance of 400-450 yards. He was in top form in the US Open and should finish better against the weaker field.

3. Daniel Berger (+1000)

This week’s betting favorite is the second-best player in the field by the Golfweek rankings. He has made five straight cuts and is coming off of a T-7 at the US Open but is likely to be looking ahead to The Open.

2. Brian Harman (+1400)

The 2014 champion of the John Deere Classic has averaged 1.08 strokes gained on the field over 24 career rounds at TPC Deere Run. He returns as the top-ranked player in the field.

1. Sungjae Im (+1600)

Tied for eighth last week while ranking in the top five of the field among those who made the cut in SG: Around-the-Green and SG: Tee-to-Green.

Like Kim, he won’t be participating in The Open while focusing on medaling at The Olympics in order to avoid military service in South Korea.

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Another solid round out of Brian Harman at the RBC Heritage

Brian Harman matched his best round of the week Saturday with a 67 on Harbour Town Golf Links. He sits T10 at the RBC Heritage.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Brian Harman launched what felt like a good shot off the 17th tee at Harbour Town Golf Links on Saturday afternoon, but a breeze coming off Calibouge Sound blew it astray.

The fiery left-hander returned his 7-iron to his golf bag with a note of authority.

A few minutes later, the Savannah, Georgia, native showed a subtle fist pump after holing an 11-footer for a deft up-and-down and an unlikely par.

It was one hole in an excellent round for Harman, who matched his lowest score of the week with a 4-under-par 67 at the RBC Heritage. He climbed up the leaderboard into a tie for 10th and sits at 9-under par (67-70-67) headed into Sunday’s final round.

“No. 17 was kind of odd,” said Harman, who entered the week at No. 48 in the Official World Golf Ranking. “That was one of my better swings of the day, and it ended up in a really bad spot. The wind was blowing between south and southeast, and I think it got caught in a little gust and knocked it over the green. So to make that putt and get out of there with a three was awesome.”

Harman had just one bogey on the day — at the par-4 eighth — but he got it right back with a birdie putt of 9 feet at the short par-4 ninth hole. He birdied from 11 feet on the same hole on Friday to close out his round.

He had one of his best tee shots of the day at the par-3, 14th hole, nestling an iron to within 4 feet and converting. He followed with another birdie on the par-5 15th, using a three-shot approach and dropping a 9-foot putt into the cup.

His most memorable shot of the day came on the par-3 fourth. He missed the green right on the 194-yard hole but somehow chipped in from 18 yards for a birdie.

“I was in a really bad spot, but I hit a really, really great chip shot. I had to bump it up over a hill,” said Harman, a graduate of Savannah Christian and the University of Georgia. “With any luck, I was hoping to walk away with a three on that one, and I made a two.

“I probably got the most out of this round (of his previous two this week),” Harman said. “I don’t know if I played quite as well as I did. I made some good putts and I made some really good up and downs, had that chip-in. I’ll try to tighten up my ball striking a little bit and try to shoot a low one tomorrow.”

Harman entered the week playing some of the best golf of his career. He is ranked No. 33 in the FedEx Cup standings, with four top-12 finishes in his last seven starts. He tied for third at the Players Championship and was the final player to qualify for the Masters when he beat his fellow former UGA golfer Bubba Watson in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play to reach the quarterfinals.

He took full advantage of his opportunity in his third appearance at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 12th to secure a spot in the 2022 Masters.

This week has a more relaxed vibe, and Harman is enjoying it with his family at Harbour Town, with his parents staying nearby to the place where Harman, his wife Kelly Van Slyke and their young girl and boy, Cooper and Walter, are residing this week.

“They have been cooking for me every night and watching the kids once in a while, so it’s been great. They can come any time they want,” Harman said with a smile.

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

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Brian Harman and caddie Scott Tway are ‘like an old married couple’

His older brother, Bob Tway, won eight times on Tour and is known for his iconic hole-out from the sand to win the 1986 PGA Championship.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Brian Harman wasn’t clicking early Friday as the Savannah native made his way around Harbour Town Golf Links, where he entered the second round of the RBC Heritage in a tie for eighth place.

But as he has been doing so consistently all year, Harman battled to keep his score respectable, with his trusted caddie, Scott Tway, there every step of the way.

Harman started on the back nine and was 2-over par through his first 10 holes, but he birdied three of his final eight and made clutch sand saves at Nos. 7 and 8 to shoot 1-under 70.

He put the finishing touches on the round by holing an 11-footer for birdie on No. 9, going through the pre-putt routine with Tway, as he always does. Harman is at 5-under par for the tournament in a tie for 16th as of Friday afternoon.

RBC Heritage: Tee times, TV info | Yardage book

Golf runs through the blood of Tway, whose family name is familiar to fans of the game. His older brother, Bob Tway, won eight times on Tour and is best known for his iconic hole-out from the sand on the final hole at Inverness Club to win the 1986 PGA Championship.

Scott’s nephew, Kevin Tway, is in the field at Harbour Town this week. The Oklahoma State graduate has one win on Tour.

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Scott Tway was a great golfer himself, playing on scholarship at Georgia Southern. He was on his brother’s bag in 1995 when Bob Tway won at Harbour Town in what was then called the MCI Classic. Scott Tway has caddied on Tour for 30 years, also working with Scott Verplank and Chris Kirk, the latter like Harman a University of Georgia graduate.

Tway has served as Harman’s caddie since around 2013 but missed Harman’s first win at the 2014 John Deere Classic due to illness. But he was there in 2017 when Harman drained a 28-footer to win the Wells Fargo Championship in Wilmington, North Carolina. Tway, nicknamed “Country,” was the first to congratulate the Savannah Christian alumnus with a hearty high-five.

“He’s got a really calming effect,” Harman said of Tway on Friday. “I tend to run kind of hot and kind of cold, and he’s sort of leveled me out. So that’s really good, and he’s been here a long time and seen it a bunch of different ways, and I just think we do good work together.

“He’s seen me as my worst and I’ve seen him at his worst. At this point, we’re like an old married couple.”

Harman hung tough and didn’t let things get away from him as his family and a contingent of friends followed him.

“This has not been an easy round for him,” said his mother, Nancy Harman. “He’s been scrambling out of the traps and saving par. The last two holes (Nos. 7 and 8) were incredible saves. He’s done a good job holding his position so he can be in it Saturday and Sunday.”

Nancy Harman said her son and Tway have formed a special bond.

“They are like magic together,” she said. I’m not sure what the chemistry is. Scott is very quiet and laid back, except when someone isn’t standing still while Brian is taking a shot. He’s very protective of Brian. They’re great friends and work well together.

Caddie Scott Tway helps Brian Harman read the scenic 18th green Thursday during the first round of the RBC Heritage. (Photo by Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News)

“I used to tell Brian I was worried when he would go to Malaysia and some of the other foreign countries. But he would say ‘Mom, you don’t have to worry. I’ve got Country with me; he’s like my personal bodyguard.’ ”

Harman, who finished in a tie for 12th at the Masters last week, said he made a couple mistakes that cost him Friday, but got the most he could out of his round after that.

“Yeah, it was a struggle, man. It was really windy this morning. It was just hard to make birdies,” Harman said. “I just made one bad swing on No. 16; cost me a bogey, and a bad swing on No. 1. I was glad to play the last eight 3-under and kind of right the ship.

“I was pretty exhausted after last week. I’m proud of the way that I’ve hung in there this week,” he said. “I’ve hit some good shots. If I could just make a couple more putts, I think I can do something this weekend.”

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

Justin Rose lights up white scoreboards with red-number blitz to gain 4-shot Masters lead

Justin Rose went on a blitz to finish his round Thursday at Augusta National to hold a four-shot lead.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Justin Rose was just another name in the middle of the leaderboard late on Thursday afternoon, his score of 2 over through seven holes as dull as the gray skies above.

Then the Englishman who has been so close to slipping on the green jacket lit up the famous white scoreboards with plenty of red numbers.

In a 10-hole stretch ignited by an eagle from short range on the par-5 eighth, Rose was 9 under on a firm and fast course that was causing fits for most everyone else and he soared to the lead after the first round of the 85th Masters.

Rose went eagle-birdie-birdie-par-birdie-birdie-par-birdie-birdie-birdie-par to finish his round of 7-under-par 65 and left the Augusta National Golf Club’s grounds with a four-shot lead.

It was his career best by two shots at Augusta National in 59 rounds and 9.5 shot better than the field average.

Masters: Leaderboard | Photos | TV, streaming info

“I kind of knew 2 over through 7 is not the end of the world, but also knew you’re going in the wrong direction,” Rose said. “I didn’t hit the panic button, but I reset just prior to that and thought if I can get myself back around even-par, that would be a good day’s work.”

Well, it became a great day’s work.

“I just got on a great run and was just trying to stay out of my own way and just try to get it to the clubhouse and keep doing what I was doing,” he said. “I putted the ball beautifully and read the greens unbelievably well. If you had said to me walking up the eighth hole (I’d shoot 65), I’d have said no chance, this course is playing a little too tricky for that. But it’s incredible.  It’s a good reminder that you just never know what can happen out there, just to stick with it on the golf course.”

Four shots back in second were Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama, who is trying to complete a Land of the Rising Sun major double at Augusta National. Last week, 17-year-old Tsubasa Kajitani of Japan defeated Emilia Migliaccio on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the second Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The 29-year-old Hideki Matsuyama, the best golfer from golf-crazy Japan who is a five-time winner on the PGA Tour and eight-time winner on the japan Golf Tour, could become the first male player from Japan to win a major.

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Two women from Japan have won majors – Hisako Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship) and Hinako Shibuno (2019 Women’s British Open).

In at 70 and five shots back were 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, Will Zalatoris (who was ranked 483rd exactly one year ago), 2012 U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

Defending champion and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who shattered scoring records en route to winning the Masters in November, opened with a 74.

Johnson was joined at 74 by four-time major winner Brooks Koepka and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. Others over par included Lee Westwood (78), Jason Day (77), four-time major champ Rory McIlroy (76), reigning U.S. Open champ Bryson DeChambeau (76) and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia (76).

Rose, 40, who finished in a tie for second in 2015 and lost in a playoff to Garcia in 2017, took the first-round lead at the Masters for the fourth time. He did so on a windswept day when the scoring average was north of 74.5. And he did so in his first tournament since back spasms forced him to withdraw in the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational five weeks ago.

Rose has been struggling with his form since golf returned in June following a 13-week break due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. In 19 starts worldwide, he’s mustered just three top-10s. The 2013 U.S. Open winner at Merion, who has 10 PGA Tour titles and eight European Tour victories, has fallen to 41st in the official world golf rankings, his lowest mark since 2010.

Justin Rose hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the first round of The Masters golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

But he’s gone back to coach Sean Foley and there were few struggles in Thursday’s first round. In his 10-hole blitz, he made an eagle putt from 10 feet and birdie putts from four, 25, six, three, eight, 20 and four feet.

“I didn’t know where my game was coming into this week,” Rose said. “I’ve been working hard, seeing a lot of improvement on the range. The start was slow. But experience kicked in. I knew it was a tough day.”

Now he has to deal with having the lead, but his expectations will remain the same.

“That’s going to be the trick the rest of the week,” Rose said. “Hopefully you can just run off instinct a little bit. I’ve competed in these big tournaments quite a few times, and I’ve got one of them to my name, but we’re looking for more.

“I think to keep the expectations relatively low even in this situation is not a bad thing for me for the remainder of the week and just keep it one shot at a time, keep committing on this golf course.”

Masters: Japan double at Augusta National in works as Hideki Matsuyama shares lead

Hideki Matsuyama, ranked 25th in the world, is 0-for-31 in major championships as a professional and has not won anywhere in the world since 2017.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Land of the Rising Sun could pull a major double at Augusta National Golf Club.

Last week, 17-year-old Tsubasa Kajitani of Japan defeated Emilia Migliaccio on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the second Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Five days later, 29-year-old Hideki Matsuyama, the best golfer from golf-crazy Japan, grabbed a share of the lead among the early finishers in Thursday’s first round of the 85th Masters.

Matsuyama, a 5-time winner on the PGA Tour and 8-time winner on the japan Golf Tour, signed for a 3-under-par 69 to join Brian Harman at the top of the famous white scoreboards. Matsuyama eagled the eighth hole and birdied the 13th to reach 4 under but bogeyed the 17th.

Masters: Leaderboard | Photos

He could become the first male player from Japan to win a major. Two women from Japan have won majors – Hisako Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship) and Hinako Shibuno (2019 Women’s British Open).

“What she did was fantastic,” Matsuyama said of Kajitani’s victory. “I wish I could have seen it. I was playing down in Texas, so I wasn’t able to see her play, but hat’s off to her.

“Hopefully, I can follow in her footsteps and make Japan proud.”

In at 70 were 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed, Will Zalatoris (who was ranked 483rd exactly one year ago), 2012 U.S. Open winner Webb Simpson and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

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Defending champion and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who shattered scoring records en route to winning the Masters in November, opened with a 74.

“I felt like I played pretty well and got it around pretty well,” Johnson said. “I feel like I’m driving it good and putting it good. Just need to dial the irons in a little bit.”

Johnson was joined at 74 by four-time major winner Brooks Koepka and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. Others over-par included Lee Westwood (78), Jason Day (77), four-time major champion Rory McIlroy (76) and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia (76).

Matsuyama, ranked 25th in the world, is 0-for-31 in major championships as a professional and has not won anywhere in the world since 2017. He has seven top-10s in majors, including finishing fifth in the 2015 Masters and tying for seventh in 2016. He also tied for 11th in 2017 and tied for 13th in 2020.

The putter has been his nemesis – he took 29 putts and three-putted the 17th from 15 feet above the hole for his lone bogey. He hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation and 10 of 14 fairways in regulation.

“The greens were firm and fast,” he said. “It was very important to hit your second shot on the proper side of the pin, and I was able to do that. I felt very good about my round today.

“It’s my 10th year (at the Masters), but I’ve never seen the greens so firm and fast. So, it was like a new course for me playing today, and I was fortunate to get it around well.”

Harman tied for third in the Players and tied for fifth in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in his past two starts to earn an invitation to the Masters.

He’s not the tallest player or longest player in the game but he’s been solid off the tee and into the greens and been very sharp on and around the greens.

“I think there’s still plenty of room in the game for a guy like me,” Harman said. “I don’t make any bones about not being able to carry it 300, but I don’t think you have to.”

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Masters: Brian Harman has stellar first round at Augusta National

After the first round of the Masters Tournament, UGA alum and Savannah native Brian Harman finds success at Augusta National.

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AUGUSTA — In preparation for his third Masters appearance this week, Savannah native Brian Harman laid out a plan for playing Augusta National, stressing that he had to think his way around the course.

On Thursday, the 5-foot-7, 155-pounder from the University of Georgia did just that, posting a stellar 3-under-par 69 on a course that was playing extremely difficult. He was tied for first place not long after finishing his round with a flourish by draining a 12-foot birdie putt at No. 18.

The Savannah Christian Prep alumnus entered the week playing some of the best golf of his career. He was one of the last players to qualify for this 85th Masters — riding a third-place finish at The Players Championship and a semifinal berth in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play last month to break into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking and earn his invite.

Masters: Leaderboard | Photos

One of the keys to Harman’s 3-under-par round came on Nos. 5, 6 and 7, where Harman got up and down to save par three times. He made putts of 5 feet on the first two, and 5 feet on No. 7, after a drive hooked into the woods.

“I’m happy with where my short game is. It’s something I kind of neglected. I just kind of always took it for granted, and it’s something that I can’t really afford for it to be average — it’s got to be really good for me to contend,” said Harman, who missed the cut here in 2015 and tied for 44th in 2018. “If my iron game can pick up just a little bit, I think I can do OK.

“I feel like there’s still plenty of room in the game for a guy like me,” he said. “I don’t make any bones about not being able to carry it 300 (yards), but I don’t think you have to.”

Harman made birdies on three of the four par 5s, highlighted by a spectacular putt on No. 15. Harman had 212 to the green — a 4-iron. He said he hit a good shot, but with a gust of wind at his back he flew the green. A mediocre chip left him 34 feet for birdie.

He feathered the left-to-right putt with perfect weight, and it snuck into the cup on its final roll.

“I didn’t hit a very good chip, but I made a great putt there,” Harman said. “It was an Augusta special: sidedoor.”

Harman said it may have been beneficial to qualify late for the Masters so he didn’t have time to think too much about a tournament that means so much to him.

“The previous two times I’ve played here I certainly looked forward to it, and maybe prepared too much for it,” Harman said. “So I just kind of came in here and I know the course pretty well, I’ve played the course bunches of times. I love it around it here. It’s just a matter of having my game ready.”

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Former Georgia Bulldogs ready for some home-cooking at Masters

Bubba Watson is one of six former University of Georgia golfers in the field this year.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – For most golfers in the 2021 Masters field, the inclusion of fans this April signifies a return of roars. For Bubba Watson, however, he’s anticipating a more specific applause.

“With the fans here it’s going to be a different feel, more excitement, more energy,” said the 2012 and 2014 champion. “We’re going to hear a lot more ‘Go Dawgs.’ ”

Watson is one of six former University of Georgia golfers in the field, joining Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd, Brian Harman, Hudson Swafford and Harris English.

Watson played a practice round Sunday with Bryson DeChambeau and Augusta National Golf Club member Condoleezza Rice, and noted the firmness of the course. Bubba singled out the 17th hole, saying, “Gosh, 17 right now, a couple chip shots that were just – you can hear it.  The ball just doesn’t have the check that we’re used to.”

For Todd, the former UGA standout began Monday by pushing his three children on a swing at their Augusta rental home before playing a practice round with Danny Willett. Todd was the final player to leave the 18th green Monday afternoon.

Masters: Tee times | How to watch | Hole-by-hole overview

“I was pushing my kids on the swing and I looked up at those Georgia pines and thought, ‘Man, this feels like home,’ ” Todd said.

This is Todd’s third appearance at Augusta National. After failing to make the cut in 2015 and 2020, he is confident in his form this April.

“I’m definitely getting more comfortable around here,” Todd said. “No question. This course is playing fast right now, which is different than my first two times. In (2015 and 2020) we got some rain, so this year could be different.”

Kisner echoed Todd’s statement.

“This is my first time over here since January and it’s a lot different than November,” the Aiken, South Carolina, native said. “It’s going to be pretty spicy. If they keep progressing the conditions, I think we’re in for a big weekend.”

Kisner missed the cut in November, and in five previous trips to Augusta National, he has never cracked the top 20. When asked about his chances this week, Kisner said, “I’d love it if that thunderstorm stays away. And if they start mowing down towards the green, that would be a lot easier. The greens are pure. They’re as fast and as firm as I’ve seen them in a long time.”

Kisner teamed up with Harman on Monday for a friendly round against Swafford and English. Kisner and Harman lost the match 1 down.

For Kisner, the round was largely spent assisting his former mates on the ins and outs of Augusta National. This marks Harman’s first Masters invite since 2018, while Swafford and English haven’t competed since 2017 and 2016, respectively.

“I hadn’t realized a lot of those guys hadn’t been here in a number of years,” Kisner said. “They were picking my brain pretty good. I was the elder statesman out there, which was a little bit weird.”

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