Harry Higgs Was Booking Flights Home. Now He's 1-Under at the U.S. Open.

Alright, fam, listen up! You know how some stories just hit different? Get ready, because this one’s wild. We’re talking about Harry Higgs, a guy who actually showed up to the U.S. Open without his pants, and now? He’s absolutely on fire. This dude, who’s been battling his whole career, is sitting at 1-under par entering Round 3, tied for seventh with Justin Thomas! He’s even a stroke ahead of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. What in the Emerald City is even happening?!

The "Big Rig" Was Stuck in Neutral

Let’s be real, golf is a grind, and Harry Higgs has felt every ounce of it. This 34-year-old is ranked 356th in the world, with exactly zero PGA Tour wins. Before this weekend, his U.S. Open record was one appearance, one missed cut. You remember his viral "Dreams Challenge" back in 2020? Turns out, behind that chill vibe, he was carrying "a whole lot of pain, a whole lot of self-loathing." He admitted Friday evening, he’d let bad swings and breaks make him "berate myself or be demonstrative and waste energy," leaving him feeling "insignificant." He’s bounced between the PGA and Korn Ferry tours. His T4 at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island got overshadowed by Phil Mickelson. He won back-to-back Korn Ferry events in May 2024, but his career stalled hard after that. This year? Not a single cut made on the PGA Tour. He’s go

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t the sick nickname, "The Big Rig," but little else professionally, until now.

From Booking a Flight to Birdie Barrage

The turning point? It’s a Hollywood script, seriously. Earlier this month, at a U.S. Open qualifier in North Carolina, at Gaston Country Club, things were dismal. He fumbled the first six holes, missing short birdie putts. So ready to quit, he pulled out his phone and booked a flight home to Kansas City. He told himself, "I'm just going to go home. I don't even know if I'm going to go to Amarillo and play the Korn Ferry, and I don't know that I'm going to keep doing this. It's OK if I don't, right?" Then, against all odds, the birdies started falling: seven in the first 18, six in the second! He missed a guaranteed spot by one stroke but became an alternate. Six days ago, he finished T14 at the OccuNet Classic, his best Korn Ferry finish this season. Then Bud Cauley winning the RBG Canadian Open bumped Higgs straight into the U.S. Open field. What a wild ride!

What's Next for the Big Rig?

Now, "The Big Rig" is absolutely having his moment. He’s 1-under par, tied for seventh, heading into Round 3 of the U.S. Open. This isn't just a good weekend; this is a shot at something truly monumental for a guy who almost walked away from the game just weeks ago. You have to love a story like this. Let's send all our 12s energy his way and root for Harry Higgs to keep this improbable ride going!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.