After getting bombarded with scores in the 60s on Thursday and Friday, TPC San Antonio exacted its revenge on the weekend. As the winds picked up, the low scores evaporated and it became a war of attrition at the top of the leaderboard at the 2025 Texas Open.
Emerging victorious was Brian Harman; the 2023 Open champion was able to hold his 36-hole lead through the weekend even as he came back to the field. No one else was able to mount a charge in the tough conditions.
Harman came into Sunday’s final round with a three-shot lead over Andrew Novak, but a disastrous close to his front nine put him in a suddenly precarious position. After a 3-over 39 on his way out, Harman was just one ahead of Novak as they made the turn, but a tremendous par save from the bunker on No. 10 steadied the ship and got him back on track.
Much like his Open win, Harman simply would not relent with his short game all weekend, grinding out pars with tough up-and-downs and pouring in putts at key times to keep the field at arm’s length. Harman moved back to 11 under after birdies on the 12th and 14th before giving those right back on Nos. 15-16, but he was able to land the plane from there at 9 under for a three-shot win.
A 75 on Sunday isn’t usually enough to get a win — the last time a PGA Tour winner raised a trophy after a Sunday 75 was Jon Rahm at the 2020 Memorial — but when the best score in the final two groups on Sunday is a 74 (shot by Chad Ramey), all Harman had to do was not completely implode in the wind that was creating chaos for everyone.
It is the fourth career win for the 38-year-old and rather fitting for one of the PGA Tour’s ultimate grinders that it came on a brutal weekend for scoring in San Antonio. Grade: A+
2. Ryan Gerard (-6): Gerard wasn’t on the radar coming into Sunday, but the former North Carolina star posted one of the best rounds of the day with a 3-under 69 to move up from T17 to solo second. Gerard had it to 7 under after a birdie on No. 14 and could’ve posted a number to make Harman really look at coming home, but he made three pars and a closing bogey on No. 18 to get in at 6 under.
Still, it’s the best finish of his career and continues the best stretch of his career with back-to-back top 10s for the first time after finishing ninth last week in Houston. An under-par performance on Sunday in those conditions — and being able to battle through a tough week to keep momentum rolling — is a big confidence boost for the 25-year-old.