Harry Higgs on the Go to Knoxville Open.
Getty Photographs
First got here the golf.
You wouldn’t have seen this coming two weeks in the past. Not when Harry Higgs completed T50 on the PGA Tour’s opposite-field Myrtle Seashore Traditional and stayed simply inside the highest 500 on this planet.
However then Higgs, a longtime fan favourite, delivered an unimaginable win on the Korn Ferry Tour’s AdventHealth Championship. It was unimaginable as a result of it was Higgs’ first win in 5 years, unimaginable as a result of it was his first high 10 on any tour in over a 12 months and unimaginable as a result of it required a hole-out eagle from 83 yards to ebook his spot in a playoff, which he then received with a birdie on the primary further gap.
That was final week.
This week introduced the Go to Knoxville Open, the place Higgs opened with 64-65 to maintain the nice instances rolling. He entered Sunday one shot again of the lead however reeled off 5 birdies in his first six holes and performed the remainder of the spherical even par to put up 19-under 261. That quantity was equaled by Frankie Capan III, who birdied the final to power a playoff.
So Higgs went to further holes for a second consecutive week. And for a second consecutive week he made a spectacular eagle, this time from 37 ft on the second playoff gap to safe his second consecutive victory.
It was the primary time in Korn Ferry Tour historical past {that a} participant received back-to-back weeks. Extra importantly for Higgs it catapults him to No. 2 on the KFT’s factors checklist, all however guaranteeing he’ll be promoted again to full standing on the PGA Tour for subsequent season.
“It does eons for confidence, however there’s a motive why I received,” Higgs mentioned post-round. “Caring for my physique, my thoughts. Clearly I caught to the very same routine as final week and it labored once more this week, in order that’s in all probability not going to vary a lot.”
Nor ought to it.
Then got here the speech.
Higgs admitted he had a troublesome time attending to sleep Saturday night time. He was working by means of what would possibly occur if he received — and what he would possibly say if he did. The tragic loss of life of Grayson Murray weighed heavy on his thoughts. His playoff eagle afforded him the chance to deal with the group.
Right here’s what he mentioned:
“I simply have a message, so forgive me if issues get slightly deep,” Higgs started. “We misplaced, yesterday, considered one of our personal. I don’t know if you happen to guys heard the information, however someone who went by means of a whole lot of troublesome issues, someone that was open and trustworthy about it. And I believed final night time, I didn’t sleep value a darn. And I’m actually good at sleeping. I thought of this second and the right way to possibly bear in mind Grayson.
“All people that’s right here, one, thanks a lot for receiving me and congratulating me and cheering me on all through. However this golf stuff and the end result, it’s beautiful, positive. Nevertheless it’s simply — it’s simply not that significant.
“One factor that I type of considered final night time, particularly laying in mattress, I’d problem everyone right here, and I’m going to do that myself as properly, every day, is to say one thing good to somebody you like. And likewise make it some extent to say one thing good to someone you don’t even know. The world is a really troublesome place. The world is troublesome and solely getting harder. I’ve been blessed with nice dad and mom and an important help system, and I haven’t had, apart from some frustration at instances, any battles mentally. However Lord is aware of how many individuals do and it’s solely ever growing. So everyone right here might be a distinction. The distinction. Brighten up someone’s day, it might imply the world.
“The problem — I’ll begin. I’m positive I’ll say some nice issues to folks that I like, hopefully right here very quickly. However the second a part of the problem, say one thing good to folks that I have no idea, I’d like to deal with each considered one of you guys which might be right here: Thanks from the underside of my coronary heart. Knoxville, you guys have been heat and gracious hosts. It will imply the world to me as I feel again on it, however I’ll simply bear in mind the good folks that I met right here in Knoxville. So once more, from the underside of my coronary heart, thanks. Let’s all attempt to put some good out on this planet.”
Properly mentioned, Harry. Problem accepted.
