Brian Harman started the day with a three-shot lead at 12-under and fired a single birdie, two bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 9th to make the turn in 3-over 36. He added two birdies and two bogeys on the back nine to close with a 75 and still won by three shots at 9-under at the Valero Texas Open.
“That score was kind of a relative thing today, it was more kind of a game of attrition,” said Harman. “The conditions just wouldn’t allow for a super low score. I didn’t have my best stuff today, but good enough to make a few putts, and a couple birdies on the back nine helped a lot.
“It’s really hard. Especially the first two days I was playing such good golf, just aiming at everything and making a ton of putts and having a lot of fun. Then all of a sudden the weather flips, and not only the weather flips but the wind’s coming from a totally different direction. I was actually looking at the scoreboard on 18, my day 1 drive’s 330, day two drive 320, day three 255, day four 248 or whatever it was.”
“It’s a completely different golf course. Having a little bit of experience around here, I’ve seen this place play really hard, and just knowing that there wasn’t going to be a low score out there today.
This was Harman’s fourth career PGA Tour title in his 377th start at the age of 38 years. He is the oldest winner on Tour since Patton Kizzire won the 2024 Procore Championship at the age of 38.
“I had to wait a long time in between my second and third, didn’t have to wait quite as long this time,” added Harman. “Been playing some really good golf. My scores haven’t showed it, but I’ve been feeling like it was right there. To have it pop this week and be in good form for some big stuff coming up is really awesome.”
75 is the highest finish by a winner on Tour since Jon Rahm won the 2020 Memorial Tournament with the same score and the highest by a Valero Texas Open winner since Steven Bowditch shot 76 in 2014.
American Ryan Gerard made his only bogey of the day at the 18th and recorded a 69 to finish second at 6-under. He posts back-to-back top-10s for the first time in his career (9th/Texas Children’s Houston Open). This marks his best finish among four career top-10 finishes (previous: 4th/2023 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches).
Maverick McNealy of the USA made two birdies and two bogeys for a 72 and a share of third place at 5-under. He finishes inside the top 10 for the fourth time in 10 starts this season (best: 2nd/The Genesis Invitational)
In his 98th career start and searching for his first PGA our title, American Andrew Novak picked up his second top-three finish of the season (3rd/Farmers Insurance Open) in spite of bogeying four of his last six holes for a 76.
