TROON, Scotland – Brian Harman was involved in a traditional handover on Monday afternoon that he might not have enjoyed as much – returning the claret jug. The formal transfer of the British Open trophy involved some ceremony, with Harman handing it back to Martin Slumbers, the R&A CEO, who received it back for the first time since Harman’s win last year. Harman described the trophy as the coolest in all sports and appreciated the pageantry involved.

Despite the staged moment, Harman saw the significance of returning the trophy and acknowledged it as part of the game’s rich history. Harman’s challenge now is to try and win it back as the 152nd Open Championship commences on Thursday at Royal Troon on the Scottish links along the Firth of Clyde. The course is renowned for its challenging pot bunkers and varying hole lengths affected by the wind.

Harman, who broke a six-year winless streak with his Open victory last year, is hoping to get his putter to cooperate this week. The last player to win back-to-back British Opens was Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008, making it a challenging feat. Harman, acknowledging the difficulty, expressed eagerness to start the competition.

As players like Woods and Scheffler gear up for the event, Harman reflected on his year with the claret jug, taking it to sporting events and sharing the joy with his community. Despite the emotional handover, Harman is ready to focus on the current challenge at the 2022 British Open.>tagger