The last few years have not been easy for arguably the most decorated golf prospect to come out of Wisconsin in decades.
Harrison: 2x State Open Champion, State Amateur Champion, WIAA High School State Champion and 4 year starter at one of the nation’s top golf programs Vanderbilt University turned pro after graduating in 2022.
Upon graduation Harrison made it through stage two of PGA Q school granting himself instant status on PGA Tour Canada where he traveled around Canada, spending days on the road between stops and crashing at motels with his road roommates and fellow Wisconsinites Tom Longbella and George Kneiser.
This included one incident when his bags and clubs were lost on a flight before a Monday qualifier. He shot a four under with rental clubs and clothes from the proshop and made it through.
All-in-all after two years of grinding on the Canadian Tour Harrison made 11 out of 17 cuts, including one third place finish and netting total earnings of $36,612 — not a lot when you factor in time and expenses of being on the road.
He kicked the early 2024 season off on PGA Latin America driving and flying around to towns in a country where he didn’t speak the language. He lasted 5 events, making two cuts and a whopping $1,647 for his efforts, before deciding to stay state side and focus on playing in Monday qualifiers for the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour as well as playing local mini-tour events and State Opens.
The last couple years have included several close calls including missing the 2023 US Open at LACC by 1 and ending up as the first alternate, he missed qualifier for the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open in February by 1 stroke
Despite this he kept pushing knowing all it takes is one good week to change a career. In professional golf sometimes that never comes, but if it does it can be lifechanging.
He got his best break to date qualifying for the Korn Ferry’s Knoxville Open two weeks ago firing a 62 in the Monday qualifier but ended up missing the cut.
Then Monday happened, known as the “Longest Day in Golf”- Harrison took down tour stars including Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Matt Kuchar and many others, with a par on the last hole he avoided a playoff and his ticket was officially punched to compete in the 2025 US Open at Oakmont which kicks off next week Thursday!
What got him through the tough times? I think getting through the tough times and then what clicked both go together. Just striving to get better…hitting balls after missed cuts, hitting/putting until my hands or back hurt. You do that over and over and get in the dirt and you look up and you’re far from where you started. This off season I started practicing training a little harder. Doing drills and workouts with finishers that required me to do a certain thing to be done.
Regarding next week: “I’m excited for Oakmont. The game is feeling good. I’m working on a few things I know will be demanded out there and just excited to get around the other players and learn but also try to compete as hard as I can. That’s my goal. Focusing on being a competitor.”
Who knows what will happen next week but it’s hard not to pull for the Brookfield native & Marquette High grad in this one and moving forward!