British Open 2023: Brian Harman's coach wants you to know these 2 tips

HOYLAKE, England — Coming up on 15 years of PGA Tour experience, Brian Harman is a man who knows how to get the most out of his game. And he certainly is at Royal Liverpool Golf Club this week.

Through two rounds at the Open Championship, Brian Harman has amassed a five shot lead. History suggests a lead that big, this early, is close to insurmountable.

Harman is not the man who cheat-codes golf courses with moonball drives, as we see so often with players in the modern era. Yet Harman has been an elite player at every level he's played, and now, he's got his eyes on a claret jug. In many ways, it's guys like Brian Harman who golfers like us can learn the most from.

So, on the ground at the Open Championship, we chatted with Brian Harman's coach, Golf Digest Best in State Justin Parsons. Based at the Sea Island Resort, Parsons has been coaching Harman since 2019, taking over from the legendary Jack Lamkin who sadly passed away last year.

Parsons and Harman have formed a tight player-coach bond over the years. And from the ground at Royal Liverpool, highlighted two key qualities of Harman's that are working so well this week.

1. Focus on your alignment—daily

Parsons says that left-handed Harman's tendency is to align too far over to the right, which would cause a series of knock on compensations which would lead to him hitting pushes, or hooks.

"We really dived into consistent, daily alignment rituals," Parsons says. "Getting him aligned, working it into his routine, helped him hit a straighter shot shape because it allowed him to rotate correctly instead of relying on factors with more timing involved."

The specific way the pair work on this is by placing two alignment sticks on the ground. One next to the club, down the target line, and another perpendicular to it to give him the feel of the appropriate ball position. At the start of each session Harmon will hit a series of shots with this setup, and then move on. A simple checkpoint, to get him synced for the day.

2. Don't get fancy around the greens

Harman's strength is around the greens—something the rest of us would dream of. When you see Harman's short game at work, notice the versatility in shot selection. Often, you'll see that come through with Harman choosing to keep the ball on the ground, Parsons says. It doesn't matter that you can hit an impressive, high-spinning chip. It's more important knowing when not to.

"His capabilities are very advanced, but his application is something golfers at home should look at," Parsons says. "Choosing the correct shot, hitting whatever shot is required; he's very strong in that regard. He's got one of the best pairs of hands I've ever seen, but he's not afraid to put it from 20 yards off the green."

It's all part of a 'nothing fancy' approach from Harman, but one which he uses to get the most out of his game.