Personal Growth and Discipline Elevate Frankie Harris' Game

South Carolina fifth-year senior golfer Frankie Harris has been playing competitive golf since he was eight years old, and the personal growth and discipline he has achieved over the last couple of years has made him one of the best amateurs in the country.

“I’ve changed some habits of mine and become more disciplined, on and off the golf course,” said Harris, who transferred to South Carolina in 2023 after spending his first two years at Auburn and is studying tourism and hospitality. “I’ve worked a lot harder academically and put more time towards my schoolwork and trying to get my degree.

“I’ve formed a strong relationship with Rob Bradley, our coach. He has really helped me improve my golf game mentally and with course management; the way I play the game. (Assistant Coach) Brady Gregor has also been a part of my success. If I could go back in time, maybe I would have changed a few things, but it’s a learning experience that has helped me.”

Harris’ name is all over the South Carolina record books. He entered this year ranked No. 12 nationally in the preseason PGA Tour University rankings. He earned honorable mention All-American honors last year after carding five top five finishes, which is tied for the second most in program history for a single season. His ten career top five finishes are tied for sixth in South Carolina history. His four tournament wins are tied for second in program history.

“The way I look at it, every week is a new opportunity,” Harris said. “I’m pretty relaxed out on the golf course. I don’t say much. I go out there and work my way around the golf course and put up the best score that I can.

“Golf is a progressive game. It’s a long run sport, so you’re trying to get better every week. I don’t look too much at the records. I just try to improve my game day by day and see where it takes me.”

His game has taken him to some pretty cool places beyond regular college tournaments. This past summer, Harris played in the U.S. Open at Oakmont after finding success in two stages of qualifying.

“I ended up shooting 11-under at the sectional qualifier, tying for medalist and that was my invitation to compete there,” Harris said. “It was one of the coolest things ever. I was walking around with all the Tour pros. I felt my game was good enough to compete with them, which is a good thing, I thought.

“There were tons of fans there watching me, which is something I’m not used to. I walked on to that first tee and striped it right down the middle and made a par. I guess the nerves weren’t too crazy. I came back solid with a one-over par on the second day, which was one of the lowest rounds of the day. I would have liked to have taken some photos, but I didn’t want to disrupt anyone. At the same time, I was there for the same reason as them – to win! Getting to play any of the majors has always been a dream of mine, so it was cool to make it happen.”

Harris also played in his fourth consecutive U.S. Amateur at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, where he shot even par (72, 68) in stroke play and advanced to match play.

“The U.S. Amateur is cool. It’s a field of 312 players, which is obviously huge,” Harris said. “Then it gets cut down to 64, and then it goes to match play from there. That’s really the big stage. It’s the biggest tournament in all of amateur golf. It showed me that preparation is important. It’s very serious. I don’t get too nervous though because it’s just golf at the end of the day.”

Harris got hooked on golf early in life and thanks his father, Frank, for coaching him for most of his life. He started playing golf when he was seven and started playing tournaments a year later.

“I like the mental side of golf,” Harris said. “It teaches you a lot of things you can apply into your personal life. Patience is obviously a huge virtue. There’s discipline with your practice routine. There are also integrity and honesty, and all those things help, too. It’s more than just a game.”

No doubt that Harris will be eyeing a professional career after he graduates, and while he hopes to be on the pro tour for a long time, he’s also hooked on another passion.

“Fishing is my other favorite thing to do besides golf, so I would think captaining a boat would be pretty cool,” said Harris, who also enjoys hunting and skiing. “Blue marlin is probably the biggest fish I’ve caught. I’ve caught plenty of swordfish and yellowfin tuna that are all pretty big, but the blue marlin I caught was about 400 pounds. I could see myself captaining a boat to the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, or Puerto Rico. That seems pretty cool to me.”