Brian Harman conquered the elements and a high-class chasing pack at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on Sunday to win the 2023 Open Championship at a canter.
The American had established a five-shot lead overnight and a sloppy start saw a rampaging Jon Rahm at one stage close that gap to three strokes. But Harman kept his composure to pull away from the field again in inclement weather and eventually post 13-under for the tournament, a huge six-shot lead over nearest challengers Jason Day, Sepp Straka, Jon Rahm and Tom Kim.
Rory McIlroy rattled off three early birdies in a row to alight some hopes of a magical comeback, but he could only post six-under par after a strong final round.
The win is a first major title for Harman, who was reliable in his ball-striking and rock solid on the greens at Hoylake all week. The American joins McIlroy and Tiger Woods as recent winners on the famous Wirral course.
Harman dropped shots at the fourth and the fifth to give the field some early hope of a fightback and a buzz of anticipation fizzed around Hoylake when Rahm was able to cut the gap to three. Perhaps the procession in the rain – which was unrelenting all day – many expected wasn't forthcoming after all?
But Harman, who revealed to the the media this week that he is a passionate hunter, was intent on remaining the hunted.
Brilliant back-to-back birdies at the sixth and the seventh restored his five-shot advantage and his strong grip on the Claret Jug.
From that point on, while there were moments that the chasing pack threatened to put together a hot finish, nobody could string together a sequence that would change the result.
In the end, the American proved to be in a class of his own. Even when a birdie for Straka reduced the gap to three shots late on, within seconds Harman holed a long birdie put on 15 to restore his advantage. Throughout the weekend, whenever there was a glimmer of hope for the chasing pack, he ruthlessly snuffed it out.
No player reached a score higher than eight-under during the tournament aside from Harman and his brilliant 65 in challenging conditions on Friday broke the back of the field.
Even at the midway point McIlroy described Harman's play as "seriously impressive". The Northern Irishman will once again be frustrated when reflecting on his own performance though, as he let far too many makeable putts slip by in pursuit of the leader over the weekend.
"I don't think that way," said McIlroy when asked about his major drought running into a tenth year. "I think about trying to go and win a fourth FedExCup here in a couple weeks' time, go try and win a fifth Race to Dubai, go and win a fifth Ryder Cup. I just keep looking forward."
It was a similar story for home hope Tommy Fleetwood. After a superb five-under par round on Thursday, he could not recapture the same magic on the following three days, that despite the backing of a rapturous home crowd.
In the end, another solid final round was wrecked by the treacherous 17th, as his tee shot trundled off the back of the green and he was forced to take triple bogey. After standing on 18 on Thursday with a smile and a share of the lead, he cut a dejected and downtrodden figure.