Last night in San Antonio, Duke suffered a horrific late-game collapse in its Final Four matchup against Houston at the Alamodome. 

A day later, though, history didn’t repeat itself at TPC San Antonio’s Valero Texas Open, roughly 20 miles north of where Saturday night’s theatrics on the hardwood occurred. 

Brian Harman built up a big lead and—unlike Duke—held on.

The 38-year-old claimed a three-stroke victory over Ryan Gerard for his first PGA Tour win since the 2023 British Open. 

MORE: Final results, payouts from the Valero Texas Open

Entering the final round leading by three, Harman finished at 9 under par as 30 mph winds wreaked havoc on the event—a familiar occurrence at the Texas Open. 

Harman, however, isn’t a stranger to withstanding blustering conditions. Less than two years ago, he claimed his first major title at Royal Liverpool in typical British Open carnage. 

The Georgia native had struggled to follow up that win with another. In 2024, he was runner-up at the Players Championship, but has only had one top 10 since. In nine starts this season entering the Valero, Harman had one top-20 finish (T17 at the Genesis Invitational). 

Even though he was able to add a fourth PGA Tour title to his name in San Antonio, there were times when it appeared a Duke-esque loss was possible. 

Harman carded two bogeys in the first few holes and then had a double bogey on the par-4 9th, dropping his lead to one. He then made consecutive bogeys for the first time all week on Nos. 15 and 16, leading his playing partner, Andrew Novak, by two with two to play. 

He parred No. 17 and was aided by a Novak bogey. The closing par-5, however, isn’t a layup. Patrick Cantlay made triple on the hole in the final round. But the icing on the cake was when Novak, a 30-year-old looking for his maiden Tour win, pulled his tee shot 250 yards into the trees and was forced to kick out en route to a bogey.

Harman is already exempt for next week’s Masters; therefore, his win denied many players in the field, including Gerard and Novak, a chance to claim the final spot in the field at Augusta. 

But Harman had the fortitude the Duke Blue Devils didn't. Now, he rides the momentum to Augusta, hoping to pair a green jacket with his claret jug.


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brian Harman Holds on at Valero Texas Open for First Win Since British Open.