Claude Harmon III will always be known first and foremost as “Butch’s son,” but he’s developing quite a resume of his own.
Harmon III, or CH3 to his friends, has coached some of the biggest names in golf and on Sunday he nabbed his eighth major as a swing instructor —the 2012 British Open with Ernie Els, five majors with Brooks Koepka (three PGA’s and two U.S. Opens) and two with Dustin Johnson (U.S. Open and Masters). Harmon is the Director of Instruction at Butch Harmon Floridian and runs the Claude Harmon III Performance Golf Academy in Dubai
He also has an interesting perspective of LIV Golf vs. PGA Tour as he dabbles in both worlds.
“I want LIV to succeed and I want LIV to work because I am pro-professional athlete,” he said. “I don’t think Rory McIlroy should go anywhere in the world without somebody paying him, including Memphis and Memorial. That’s how good he is. Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, if you’re in that category, you shouldn’t be going anywhere without being paid because it’s how good you are.”
Harmon saved some of his spiciest takes for the media — of which he also is a member having worked over the years for Sky Sports and as well as hosting his own podcast, “Son of a Butch,” including this on Brandel Chamblee and Golfweek’s own Eamon Lynch.
“Brandel is a paid actor by NBC and Golf Channel. All he’s trying to do is get his lines and shows for the Golf Channel. He’s just trying to get lines for Brandel … And I mean, I love him, I think Eamon is a fantastic writer, but for Eamon Lynch and Brandel Chamblee, who worked for NBC Golf Channel to utter the words ‘sports washing’ when the company they work for televised the last two Winter Olympics in Russia and China with the same leaders that they’ve had. It’s not like they were good leaders back then. It’s not like Putin was a good guy, right?”
Harmon III was just getting started. Here’s more from a pair of interviews he gave — one just after Koepka teed off in the final round and the other after Koepka had claimed the Wanamaker Trophy for a third time. (Editor’s Note: This interview has been condensed for brevity.)