As Brian Harman walked to the first tee Saturday to start his third round at the British Open, just steps away Jon Rahm was finishing his with yet another birdie. It was his eighth on the day, capping a stellar round of 63.
Harman had woken up with a five-shot lead at Royal Liverpool, but by the time he teed off, Rahm had climbed to within four. The two-time major winner had re-announced his presence loud and clear, putting the pressure squarely on Harman.
When the rain came for a brief shower, and Harman bogeyed two of his first four holes, paring his lead all the way down to just two, it looked like the moment would swallow him up — that the charge of the third-ranked player in the world would rattle him.