‘The Butcher of Hoylake’: Open champion takes over local smokehouse

Brian Harman wasn’t the most popular Open champion at Royal Liverpool, but he was finally approved just hours after lifting the Claret Jug.

The 36-year-old stormed to the lead on Friday, and the hunter could not be caught, resulting in a frosty reception on the first tee on Sunday.

But that soon changed as Harman was welcomed to Hickory’s Smokehouse in West Kirby with rousing applause.

Fans were shocked to see the new Champion Golfer of the Year in the American restaurant but showed their appreciation on Sunday evening.

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Alongside his caddie Scott Tway, JT Poston, and Sepp Straka, who finished tied for second, also joined Harman to celebrate the six-stroke victory in golf’s oldest championship.

The Claret Jug took centre stage on Harman’s table and was filled on three separate occasions, holding four pints of Guinness each time.

It does beg the question about whether the famous trophy is cleaned between drinking sessions, but Harman and his party were not perturbed, drinking 12 pints from it.

Tom Schofield, the restaurant’s general manager, told bunkered.co.uk: “Brian turned up around 8.30pm after he left the golf club, and was here for the rest of the evening.

“He was more than happy to take photos with fans, and when people found out he was here, they came down.

“They were a humble party considering what just happened, and he brought the Jug with him, which was incredible to see and experience.

“We gifted him one of our ‘Pitmaster’ aprons, with his newfound nickname ‘the Butcher of Hoylake’, and he got a standing ovation when he arrived and when he left.”

🏆🍺 Brian Harman celebrated his Open Championship victory last night at Hickory Smokehouse West Kirby.

(🎥 – @AaronFlener)
pic.twitter.com/dZBIBQJ3jA

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 24, 2023

Harman, a keen wild game hunter in the States, faced heavy criticism from fans during and after his shock triumph, and his manner of victory stunned TV ratings.

The world No. 10 admitted to using that as motivation, though, and now looks a certainty to take part in the Ryder Cup in Rome this September.

Schofield described hosting the Open champion as “unbelievable”, and a “fantastic end to the week”.

Other high-profile figures that stopped by included Tiger Woods’ caddie Joe LaCava, Masters champion Danny Willett, and LIV golfer Abraham Ancer.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.