Following a final-round 69 at last week’s Shriners, Harry Higgs promised to get “properly drunk” on the Las Vegas strip. No, not in celebration of his T-27 finish, which he was actually quite frustrated by. It was to celebrate a big win by his favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
This week at the CJ Cup, though, Higgs might be celebrating his own golf in Sin City (it definitely won’t be the Eagles, who lost on Thursday night). After rounds of 64 and 67 at The Summit Club, Higgs is just five off the lead of Keith Mitchell, putting him in a tie for second with Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott and Seonghyeon Kim.
Any “properly drunk” celebrating will have to wait, however. Outside of last Sunday night, Higgs has avoided all the temptations that Vegas has to offer, so he says.
“I think people would be surprised at how boring they have been for me,” Higgs said when asked to describe the last two weeks in Vegas. “All during the week last week for Shriners I stayed out away from the Strip, and then again this week I’m staying away from the Strip.
“I did go in Sunday night and stayed Sunday and Monday, you know, just make the donation to the Aria and thanks for having me. We had a fun dinner at the Bellagio, which was awesome, with some friends and certainly kicked back a few too many cocktails. I don’t think I got out of bed until like 2:00 on Monday, but I guess that was great prep. It’s nice to be in the same place for two weeks and then also have the ability to to go and blow some steam off.”
To be in Vegas for two weeks and only go to the strip once is some serious discipline, though that one night may have been just what Higgs needed to recharge and refocus, Now, he’s in legitimate contention for his first PGA Tour win. He just needs a little weekend luck to get it done. You and everybody else in Vegas, Harry.
“I love where my game’s at. I have gotten better all the week, last week and through this week. I’m enjoying getting better and hitting some of the shots that I haven’t hit for a while but I know I’m capable of. If I could get a few putts to stop hanging on edges and just go in the hole, then I love my chances this weekend.”