AUGUSTA, Ga. — Brian Herman is an underdog.
He loves being an underdog and wouldn’t have it any other way.
When we last left Harman, he was hoisting the Claret Jug as British Open champion at Royal Liverpool.
He did so under some serious duress.
Harman showed real mettle at Liverpool, overcoming harsh treatment from England fans who were rooting for fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood to win.
They were striving for victory for their compatriots, while at the same time verbally abusing the American Herman.
“The hardest part for me was the walk between the green and the tee box,” Herman recalled Monday. “That’s when everyone is on you and all the noise is going on. It’s a really, really tough time, especially after a bogey. For example, I made 13 bogeys and walked to 14 and the lead was… It got down to 4. And I keep hearing it, hearing it, hearing it. Then I got on number 14. [hit a] Shoot a rocket right into the middle of the fairway.
“When you have a lot of ‘take that’ moments, you gain confidence. So it was almost like a calming feeling.”
He said the abuse happened and he dealt with it, saying, “I’m really proud of it.”
“I live to feel the moment,” Herman said. “It’s like a drug to me. I want to compete in big golf tournaments. My goal is to go to those uncomfortable places as many times as possible.”
Considering Herman is a Georgia native and former Georgia Bulldog, he should feel comfortable at home at Augusta this week.
So instead of hearing jeers from the gallery this week, you’ll probably hear a lot of “Go Dawgs!”
Herman said that might not be a good thing for him.
“I feel like I do better when everyone is rooting against me than when everyone is rooting for me,” he said. “So, it’s a new challenge. There’s a lot of Dawg around Augusta and you hear it all week long, which is great. So I’ll have to try and channel that. Maybe. , you might just pretend they’re shouting mean things instead of saying nice things.”
Why does he remain cheerful even when things are unpleasant?
“I think it just unleashes something, like proving people wrong or just having your back against the wall,” Herman said. “I know it’s an old cliché, but there were definitely times in my career where I didn’t look good and it was like pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
“It’s kind of human nature, and I think everyone has different triggers of what drives them and what drives them. Stephen Ames was the man behind Tiger Woods at match play one year. That said something about breaking the. [Woods] We’ve beaten him by 10 and 8, so you never know what’s going to get him excited and really get him into his comfort zone. ”
Herman is used to fan antics, especially at the Ryder Cup, which was held on European soil in Italy last October.
But it was tame compared to the British.
“At least in the Ryder Cup, it wasn’t just about me, it was about the other 11 guys,” he said. “I love the passion of the fans. I never fault people for that when they’re that passionate about something. I think it’s great. It’s good for our game.
“You don’t get a chance to play a real away game very often. To experience that and think about how to deal with it, you don’t get to do that too often.”
Herman’s biggest win came nine months ago, and he is competing in this week’s Masters. It’s his first major championship since the British Open, and he’s poised for a second consecutive victory.
“I had a pretty good chance. [in 2021,]” said Herman. “I was…” [one] Maybe I should have gone back and had a little more rest on the weekend. [winner] Hideki [Matsuyama] It ran, but I didn’t intend to run it.
“I feel like I’ve grown up a little bit. [and] Ready. I’m going to be more prepared this week than I’ve been in years.”
