Brian Harman trusted the FootJoy Tour Alpha shoes as he mastered the elements at Royal Liverpool to seal a maiden major title.
With rain hammering down throughout his final round, the 36-year-old American put on a masterclass of controlled ball-striking to secure a six-shot victory.
Following on from a FootJoy 1-2 at St Andrews last year, Harman shot a final round 70, playing the last five in two under to reach -13.
“You know, I’ve always had a self-belief that I could do something like this,” he said. “It’s just when it takes so much time it’s hard not to let your mind falter, like maybe I’m not winning again. I’m 36 years old. The game is getting younger. All these young guys coming out, hit it a mile, and they’re all ready to win. Like when is it going to be my turn again?
“It’s been hard to deal with. I think someone mentioned that I’ve had more top 10s than anyone since 2017, so that’s a lot of times where you get done, you’re like, dammit, man, I had that one; it just didn’t happen for whatever reason. To come out and put a performance like that together, like start to finish, just had a lot of control. I don’t know why this week, but I’m very thankful that it was this week.”
He added: “Yesterday was supposed to be terrible, and I got out and the weather turned and it was fantastic weather, all things considered. Then today I’m looking at the forecast, and I’m like, what the hell do they know, and I get out here and it’s Armageddon. It was bad. It was really tough. “I haven’t historically done very well in the rain. It’s just always bugged me. I was really proud of the way that I struck the ball in the rain today.”
Despite the tough conditions, Harman was able to rely on his Tour Alpha shoes to ensure maximum traction and stability.
“I trust the stability and comfort and stability of Tour Alpha in conditions around the world, including at The Open Championship,” Harman said.
The Tour Alpha is packed with visible technology allowing golfers to see and feel the innovation, which is activated throughout each step of the swing sequence, empowering players to take total control of their game.
At the forefront of its innovation is OPS technology – Optimised Performance Stabiliser – a three component design that locks-in the golfer’s foot to deliver superior feel and traction and optimise power. The 3D moulded heel provides a stiffer rear structure that provides lower Achilles’ support and locks the golfer’s heel in place during the swing. A firm perimeter heel piece, combined with a soft-core midfoot piece, supports the foot while the firm heel centres the back foot for controlled balance during loading in the swing.
Guy Smith, FootJoy’s EMEA Senior Product Manager. said: “Our Tour series has always been our most stable silhouette in the FootJoy portfolio, and the Tour Alpha is undoubtedly our most intelligent golf-specific innovation to date, which pushes the boundary of footwear technology with the OPS system driving performance at every step of the golf swing.”