SILVIS — Soaking wet, Harold Varner III was all smiles on Sunday afternoon after finishing his final round at the John Deere Classic even after his bid for his first PGA Tour title came up short.
Finishing a stroke behind clubhouse leader Hank Lebioda midway through the afternoon, Varner was as giddy as could be after shooting a 5-under 66 for his best round of the week at TPC Deere Run.
There was good reason for that.
Varner found out before the round he was officially in the field for next week's Open Championship in Sandwich, England.
Contact tracing for the coronavirus led to Hideki Matsuyama withdrawing and opening a spot for Varner, who was on top of the alternate's list.
“Never been there to where it is now (Royal St. George's), but I'm super excited,” Varner said after Sunday's round. “I'm going to pull against England (in the EuroCup 2021 final) here for a little bit. My caddie is from Liverpool, so I'm going to talk some smack. I'm going to go get some toothpaste, I'm going to get some deodorant and I'll be ready to go by Thursday.”
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That prep includes jumping on the Deere tournament charter flight Sunday evening despite maybe not having all the required materials needed for a week of UK weather.
“I literally have no pants, outerwear, but since you can't go outside your house it doesn't matter,” he said with a smile and shoulder shrug. “All I need is golf clothes. The (travel) bin has most of my weather gear in it, so I'll be totally fine. We'll figure it out.”
It's not like he needs much weather gear apparently. As he answered questions Sunday, he said “I'm soaking wet right now.”
He toiled across the Deere Run property on a rainy Sunday without any rain gear and rode a Sunday 66 to a tie for 11th.
“I don't play well with a jacket on,” he said.
The other thing he had to figure out was his passport so he could get on the charter flight out of the Quad Cities International Airport.
“Oh, I did have to get a friend to bring my passport in. There's a story for you,” said Varner, who is safely positioned for next month's FedEx Cup playoffs. “Once I found out I was first alternate I had to call him, so he said, I'll do it, whatever. He watched today, so it might be a good luck charm.”
Having a crack at the season's final major was an opportunity Varner wasn't going to pass on.
“I don't see why you wouldn't play in a major,” he said. “This year, I didn't try to qualify for the U.S. Open, and I regret that right now. I don't know, you just don't play golf forever at a high level, so you want to give yourself a chance to do well.”
He gave himself a chance to do well here this week, a place that has treated him well with a sixth-place finish in 2018 and a good early run in 2019 before a Saturday 76 derailed him, similar to a Saturday 70 this weekend.
“I'll say I like it,” said Varner of his Q-C success. “I'm playing well, but I've played well here a few times.”
