Scheffler’s trajectory ‘comparable’ to Tiger’s dominance: Harman

MIAMI: Brian Harman is excited for his friend Scottie Scheffler and wife Meredith to welcome their first child into the world.

And the reigning Open champion wouldn’t mind if that momentous event occurs a few days earlier than the expected due date later this month. “There’s lots of parts of me that hope (Scheffler) doesn’t play,” Harman joked on Tuesday ahead of this week’s RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Scheffler traveled to the Harbour Town Golf Links on the heels of his second Masters triumph on Sunday. It’s one of eight signature events on the 2024 PGA Tour schedule, but Scheffler has vowed that he will leave on a moment’s notice should Meredith go into labor early.

The No. 1-ranked player in the world has won three of his past four starts and finished an agonizing missed putt on the 72nd hole short of forcing a playoff in the other. Scheffler’s four-shot win at the Masters was his second in the past three years at Augusta National.

Scheffler is now chasing one more big trophy before heading back to Dallas to prepare for the birth of the couple’s first child. “I’m not surprised. He’s one of those guys that when he commits to do a thing, he’s going to do it,” Harman said. “He’s about as impressive as a guy that you’re ever going to meet.”

The gap between Scheffler and the rest of the world’s elite players has continued to stretch during this latest run of dominance. It has started to garner comparisons to the 2012-13 stretch enjoy by Tiger Woods, when he won a combined eight times in 35 starts.

“Seems like Scottie and his current trajectory would be very comparable to that,” Harman said. “I’m sure the guys felt the same way when Tiger was winning every tournament that he stepped foot on.

“It feels like right now that if Scottie shows up with anything above a ‘B’ game he’s probably going to be right there. He’s been so consistent. “He works extremely hard. I can remember at The Players this year he had just won Bay Hill the day before and Monday afternoon he’s out just, I mean, golf ball after golf ball after golf ball, working, working, working. So, he’s very dedicated to it. He’s got a great mental approach to the game.”

Harman is one of those who is trying to close that gap. He remains 10th in the Official World Golf Ranking, but Harman is coming off a missed cut at the Masters, the second time he has failed to reach the weekend in his past three starts.

However, Harman has a lifelong affinity for Harbour Town, where he tied for seventh last year. “This is the first tournament that I attended as a spectator, first PGA Tour event that I played as an amateur. Yeah, so, for me, this is an incredible spot,” he said. “I love the golf course. It’s always really, really comforting to be back here.”

Harman is also pleased that the RBC Heritage was rewarded with a signature event just a few years after the future of the tournament seemed in question. Hilton Head is now celebrating its 20th year as a PGA Tour stop. “I think the elevated events have been, for me anyway, have been a fantastic experience,” he said. “They have an aura about them that makes it feel like an old-school PGA Tour event. “They feel like a really big deal and I’ve been very excited to compete in ‘em.”