Harold Varner Jr., better known to his family and friends as Duece, is the unofficial ticket broker for this week’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. And Varner is more than happy to help. After all, that’s one less thing for his son, Harold III, to worry about as he makes his debut in the exclusive global series in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. “I got 20 a day,â€� the second-year PGA TOUR pro says with a smile. “He’ll take care of it.â€� The younger Varner punched his own ticket to play at Firestone Country Club when he won the Australian PGA Championship in December. He closed with a 65 to beat Andrew Dodt by two and former world No. 1 Adam Scott by four. Varner dedicated the win at RACV Royal Pines Resort to his “Day 1s,â€� which is what he calls the people who have been “pulling for me since day oneâ€� of his pro career. Plenty of “Day 1sâ€� will be in his gallery at Firestone this week. Varner, who was born in the same hospital as his favorite athlete, LeBron James, lived in Akron until he was 6 years old. That’s when Varner’s father, a car salesman, moved his brood to Gastonia, N.C., which is about half an hour west of Charlotte, where next week’s PGA Championship will be played. But most of his extended family still resides in Akron. “I really don’t know what it will be like,â€� Varner said when asked about playing in his hometown. “… All (but one of) my aunts and uncles on my mom and dad’s side live in Akron, so it’s great.â€� In fact, one of those aunts, Janet Varner, spent nearly two decades working at Firestone as a cook. Varner’s father, also an avid golfer, got to play there a couple of times before they moved but his son was too young. Still, the elder Varner, who usually shoots between 75 – on a really, really good day,â€� Harold III says, grinning – and 85, got his son Fisher-Price golf clubs when he was 2 years old. It didn’t take the youngster long to gravitate toward the game as he grew older in N.C. “He just dropped me off on the way to work,â€� Varner recalls. “I loved it. There was a lot more opportunity, obviously, down in North Carolina, especially when it comes to golf. You play year around.â€� Varner used to come back to Akron in the summers to visit his grandparents, though. When he was in the Rubber City, he’d often go practice and play at J.E. Good Park, a municipal course designed by Bert Way in 1924, two years after the Englishman created nearby Firestone South, which not coincidentally hosts the Bridgestone Invitational this week. (Robert Trent Jones redesigned the South course in 1960). Varner even played in the Good Park Junior twice. He won it the first time he played, when his age group only played nine holes, but the following summer was somewhat forgettable. “I moved up the next year and I played so bad,â€� Varner said, shaking his head. “I had to be 12, 13, 14 maybe. I was obviously young because I remember the course being so long.â€� Varner, who turned pro in 2012 after earning a marketing degree from East Carolina, has enough length to tackle any course these days, averaging 301.2 yards off the tee to rank 28th on TOUR. He is looking for FedExCup points, though, so this week’s Bridgestone Invitational is much more than a trip down memory lane. Varner ranks 133rd right now and has three weeks to work his way into the top 125 to make the Playoffs and secure his card for next season. He’d also like to play his way into the PGA and have back-to-back “hometownâ€� events. “It’s a great opportunity for me to get the year going back in the right direction,â€� says Varner, who tied for 23rd last week at the RBC Canadian. “Starting to play well, so I’m excited.â€� Not only has Varner been preparing for the Bridgestone Invitational, he also found time to give PGATOUR.COM these 18 things people might not know about him. And he wrote this piece published Tuesday in The Players Tribune. 1. I’m allergic to shellfish. 2. I am a huge NBA fan. 3. I am a huge NFL fan. 4. I am a huge fan of Lebron and any team he plays for (you heard me Cleveland). 5. My girlfriend and I love HGTV. 6. I am a big-time neat freak. 7. My closet is color coordinated. 8. During an off week I love being on the lake to boat and jet ski. 9. I hate the ocean (you can’t see anything down there). 10. I listen to every type of music except techno (give me some words….) 11. I am addicted to working out. 12. I am huge East Carolina University fan (not a fan of UNC or Duke….) 13. My favorite color is purple. 14. I love Gas Town (Gastonia, N.C.) 15. I am a brand-new uncle to my niece. 16. Someday I am going to pound the drum at the Carolina Panthers game. 17. I credit my dad, aka Deuce, for getting me into golf. 18. We Here – that’s my motto.
Harold Varner III takes a trip down memory lane
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Regions Tradition | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Steve Stricker | +350 |
Steven Alker | +750 |
Padraig Harrington | +900 |
Stewart Cink | +900 |
Miguel Angel Jimenez | +1600 |
Stephen Ames | +1600 |
Jerry Kelly | +1800 |
Ernie Els | +2000 |
David Toms | +2500 |
KJ Choi | +2800 |
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Cognizant Founders Cup | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Nelly Korda | +350 |
Atthaya Thitikul | +1400 |
Brooke Henderson | +1600 |
Jin Young Ko | +1800 |
Hae Ran Ryu | +2000 |
Nasa Hataoka | +2500 |
Sei Young Kim | +2500 |
Hannah Green | +3000 |
Lydia Ko | +3000 |
Hye Jin Choi | +3300 |
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Scottie Scheffler Specials | |
Type: Scottie Scheffler Specials – Status: OPEN | |
PGA Championship (Top 10 Finish) & US Open (Top 10 Finish) | +115 |
PGA Championship (Top 10 Finish) & The Open (Top 10 Finish) | +125 |
US Open (Top 10 Finish) & The Open (Top 10 Finish) | +135 |
PGA Championship (Top 5 Finish) & The Open (Top 5 Finish) | +200 |
US Open (Top 5 Finish) & The Open (Top 5 Finish) | +210 |
PGA Championship (Top 10 Finish) & US Open (Top 10 Finish) & The Open (Top 10 Finish) | +240 |
PGA Championship (Top 5 Finish) & US Open (Top 5 Finish) | +280 |
PGA Championship (Top 5 Finish) & US Open (Top 5 Finish) & The Open (Top 5 Finish) | +750 |
Win PGA Championship & US Open | +1400 |
Win US Open & The Open | +1800 |
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Wells Fargo Championship | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Rory McIlroy | +750 |
Xander Schauffele | +900 |
Wyndham Clark | +1200 |
Patrick Cantlay | +1600 |
Max Homa | +1800 |
Collin Morikawa | +2200 |
Cameron Young | +2500 |
Justin Thomas | +2500 |
Sahith Theegala | +2500 |
Tommy Fleetwood | +2500 |
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Myrtle Beach Classic | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Daniel Berger | +2000 |
Ben Griffin | +2500 |
Beau Hossler | +2800 |
Davis Thompson | +2800 |
Erik Van Rooyen | +2800 |
Matt Wallace | +2800 |
Alex Smalley | +3500 |
Andrew Novak | +3500 |
Greyson Sigg | +3500 |
Kevin Yu | +3500 |
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Tournament Match-Up – A. Bhatia vs S. Lowry | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Akshay Bhatia | -120 |
Shane Lowry | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – P. Cantlay vs C. Morikawa | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Patrick Cantlay | -130 |
Collin Morikawa | +100 |
Tournament Match-Up – C. Conners vs S. Jaeger | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Corey Conners | -115 |
Stephan Jaeger | -115 |
Tournament Match-Up – T. Finau vs J. Day | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Tony Finau | -130 |
Jason Day | +100 |
Tournament Match-Up – M. Fitzpatrick vs J. Thomas | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Justin Thomas | -135 |
Matt Fitzpatrick | +105 |
Tournament Match-Up – T. Fleetwood vs M. Homa | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Max Homa | -120 |
Tommy Fleetwood | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – R. Henley vs B. Harman | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Russell Henley | -120 |
Brian Harman | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – V. Hovland vs S. Theegala | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Sahith Theegala | -115 |
Viktor Hovland | -115 |
Tournament Match-Up – S. Im vs B. An | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Byeong Hun An | -135 |
Sungjae Im | +105 |
Tournament Match-Up – C. Kirk vs B. Horschel | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Chris Kirk | -120 |
Billy Horschel | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – H. Matsuyama vs C. Young | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Cameron Young | -120 |
Hideki Matsuyama | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – W. Clark vs R. McIlroy | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Rory McIlroy | -165 |
Wyndham Clark | +125 |
Tournament Match-Up – A. Noren vs S. Burns | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Alex Noren | -120 |
Sam Burns | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – A. Scott vs C. Bezuidenhout | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Adam Scott | -135 |
Christiaan Bezuidenhout | +105 |
Tournament Match-Up – J. Spieth vs S. Kim | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Si Woo Kim | -135 |
Jordan Spieth | +105 |
Tournament Match-Up – S. Straka vs T. Hoge | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Sepp Straka | -120 |
Tom Hoge | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – K. Yu vs M. Wallace | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Kevin Yu | -115 |
Matt Wallace | -115 |
Tournament Match-Up – B. Griffin vs D. Thompson | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Ben Griffin | -120 |
Davis Thompson | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – D. Berger vs C. Kim | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Daniel Berger | -130 |
Chan Kim | +100 |
Tournament Match-Up – J. Bridgeman vs S. Stevens | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Jacob Bridgeman | -115 |
Sam Stevens | -115 |
Tournament Match-Up – C. Gotterup vs V. Perez | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Chris Gotterup | -115 |
Victor Perez | -115 |
Tournament Match-Up – M. Greyserman vs G. Sigg | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Greyson Sigg | -130 |
Max Greyserman | +100 |
Tournament Match-Up – R. Histasune vs S. Kim | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Ryo Hisatsune | -130 |
S H Kim | +100 |
Tournament Match-Up – B. Hossler vs A. Novak | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Beau Hossler | -120 |
Andrew Novak | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – K. Lee vs R. Fox | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
K H Lee | -115 |
Ryan Fox | -115 |
Tournament Match-Up – J. Lower vs T. Olesen | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Justin Lower | -120 |
Thorbjorn Olesen | -110 |
Tournament Match-Up – T. Semikawa vs M. Schmid | |
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN | |
Matti Schmid | -115 |
Taiga Semikawa | -115 |
PGA Championship 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Scottie Scheffler | +350 |
Jon Rahm | +1200 |
Rory McIlroy | +1200 |
Brooks Koepka | +1600 |
Ludvig Aberg | +1600 |
Xander Schauffele | +2000 |
Bryson DeChambeau | +2500 |
Cameron Smith | +2500 |
Collin Morikawa | +2500 |
Max Homa | +2500 |
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Requests | |
Type: Requests – Status: OPEN | |
Rory McIlroy – RBC Canadian Open Winner | +1000 |
Miles Russell – Win a Major before 30th birthday | +1200 |
Scottie Scheffler & Nelly Korda – Win All Remaining 2024 Majors | +50000 |
US Open 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Scottie Scheffler | +350 |
Jon Rahm | +1200 |
Rory McIlroy | +1200 |
Ludvig Aberg | +1600 |
Collin Morikawa | +2000 |
Viktor Hovland | +2000 |
Brooks Koepka | +2500 |
Cameron Smith | +2500 |
Patrick Cantlay | +2500 |
Xander Schauffele | +2500 |
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The Open Championship 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
Scottie Scheffler | +500 |
Jon Rahm | +1000 |
Rory McIlroy | +1000 |
Viktor Hovland | +1100 |
Brooks Koepka | +2000 |
Cameron Smith | +2000 |
Cameron Young | +2000 |
Collin Morikawa | +2000 |
Ludvig Aberg | +2000 |
Jordan Spieth | +2500 |
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Requests | |
Type: Requests – Status: OPEN | |
The Open Championship – Alex Noren – Top 20 Finish | +200 |
Solheim Cup 2024 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
USA | -140 |
Europe | +135 |
Tie | +1200 |
Ryder Cup 2025 | |
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN | |
USA | -135 |
Europe | +135 |
Tie | +1000 |