Harry Higgs positioned himself in contention at the U.S. Open, finishing Friday’s round at one-under par for a share of seventh place. The performance marked his first made cut on the PGA Tour in 2026, a result he attributes to a significant mental adjustment.
Higgs, who gained entry into the field as an alternate, explained his new approach was a deliberate decision to reject feelings of insignificance. “I can choose to just be like, _you don’t have to be a small insignificant piece of the 156 playing here_ — and I believe I was 156 out of 156. I can be part of this, I have done this before.”
The change in mindset comes just over a week after the 34-year-old nearly quit professional golf during a qualifying event. After making 13 birdies over his final 30 holes to earn first-alternate status, Higgs arrived at Shinnecock Hills with a renewed perspective on how elite players succeed. He believes top professionals consciously decide to carry themselves as winners, regardless of immediate results.
“I’m coming to the realization that all these guys that do this consistently and win all these deals, I think they just make the choice to do that all the time,” Higgs said. He added, “I think the results make it maybe a little easier, but only just a little. Those guys wake up and do the work and choose to act and believe that they are the best.”
This philosophy translated to his on-course composure during one of golf’s most demanding tests.
“Man, I was cool. I was cool with bad shots. I was cool if things didn’t go my way. I was just going to have my shoulders back, my head up,” he stated. This newfound poise helped him navigate Shinnecock Hills, even after a frantic start to his tournament that involved showing up for his Thursday tee time without pants.
Now, Higgs heads into the weekend not just having secured a paycheck, but with a legitimate chance to factor into the outcome of a major championship.
