Golfer Brian Harman reveals family friend who saved his young son from drowning remains in a coma

Former British Open champion Brian Harman ends his season with a heavy heart as a close family friend remains in a coma from a near drowning while trying to save the golfer's 6-year-old son.

Harman had gone to the Macao Open last month when his wife took their children and family friend Cathy Dowdy to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for a vacation. He said his son was on a boogie board when he was ripped out to sea by a rip current.

He said Dowdy went into the ocean after the child and couldn’t reach him when she began to struggle in the abnormally strong current. Harman said another man, Crane Cantrell, saw what was happening and went in to help.

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“He makes it out fine, Cathy (is) injured really badly in the water,” Harman said at the RSM Classic. “She’s been in a coma for going on six weeks now and so obviously our world down here was kind of turned on its head.”

The St. Johns Citizen reported a lifeguard pulled Dowdy from the water and performed life-saving measures until medical help arrived.

Harman was asked about his offseason, the new eligibility on the PGA Tour, even the five steps of making sausage. He brought up Dowdy at the end of his news conference, mainly to bring awareness and to ask for prayers.

“I don’t really know what I wanted to kind of say other than I wanted to use whatever platform I have to bring awareness to what Cathy did, what Crane did,” Harman said. “They disregarded themselves, went into the water, saved my son and how do you thank people like that? I don’t know other than to just say what you think.

“I think that bravery and doing something like that for people who aren’t your blood is just the most beautiful thing you can do in this life.”