PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Harris English shot a closing 5-under 66 on Sunday to secure a second runner-up finish to Scottie Scheffler at a major this year, after the PGA Championship in May.
English, who learned his golf at Sunset Country Club and went on to play at University of Georgia, finished 13-under par, four shots behind Scheffler and a stroke ahead of final-round playing partner Gotterup at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
And English played without his longtime caddie, Eric Larson, who couldn’t get a travel visa for the U.K. because of prison time served 20 years ago.
Instead, his short-game coach, Ramon Bescansa, was on the bag.
“Ramon and I did a great job of coming up with a strategy,” the No. 19-ranked English said. “He kind of knows how I operate.”
English is now just outside the automatic qualifying positions for the American Ryder Cup team
“Hopefully I can get in that top six to lock up a spot,” he said.
As for winning a first major title, English just has to hope Scheffler has a rare bad week.
Only birdies from 40 feet at the par-3 16th and from 13 feet at the 17th got English within four shots of the world No. 1.
“I wasn’t playing professional golf when Tiger was at his peak, early 2000s, mid 2000s. But it’s pretty incredible just how good of a front-runner he is,” English said of Scheffler.
“He’s improved his putting. There’s no stat that he’s bad in. It’s like, how do you beat this guy?”