American Brian Harman carded an eagle and four birdies in a bogey-free 65 to jump to 10-under and set a commanding clubhouse lead at Royal Liverpool; watch The Open throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports Golf
Friday 21 July 2023 22:17, UK
Brian Harman is refusing to get caught up in his own expectations and a maiden major bid after racing into a big lead with a brilliant second round at The 151st Open.
The American, coming into the final men's major of the year with top-12 finishes in his last three starts but without a PGA Tour victory since 2017, continued his impressive form to set the clubhouse target at Royal Liverpool.
Harman followed an opening-round 67 with a stunning bogey-free 65 on Friday morning, with four birdies in his first five holes and a long-range eagle on his final hole moving him to 10-under for the tournament.
"I've had a hot putter the last couple days so try to ride it through the weekend," Harman said. "36 holes to go, so try to rest up and get ready. I'm delighted with how I'm playing. I'm just really focused on getting some rest and getting after it tomorrow.
"I started the year with really high aspirations. I had played very well all of last year and into the fall. I just missed out on the Presidents Cup and I felt like I kind of springboarded.
"I had two runner-ups in the fall, was feeling great, and then I just hit this odd sort of wall at the beginning of the year and I couldn't claw my way out of it. I just kind of doubled down on my process and started playing some really good golf here of late."
Harman followed a 20-foot birdie at the second by holing from 25 feet at the next, with the left-hander adding another from 18 feet at the par-four fourth to jump two ahead.
The world No 26 almost chipped in for eagle from the rough at the fifth, leaving a tap-in for a fourth straight birdie, with an eight-foot par at the eighth then helping him turn in 31.
Harman got up and down from off the next two greens then chipped in from off the putting surface to salvage a par at the 12th, with the American continuing his bogey-free round by holing from 10 feet at the 16th and scrambling from the sand to save par at the next.
He then closed out his second round in style, firing his approach to 15 feet and slotting in the eagle putt to match the 36-hole total of 132 recorded at Royal Liverpool by Tiger Woods in 2006 and Rory McIlroy in 2014 - who both went on to lift the Claret Jug.
The two-time PGA Tour winner took a one-shot lead into the final round of the 2017 US Open before ending tied-second, four strokes behind Brooks Koepka, although believes he can take learnings from that near-miss into this weekend in Hoylake.
"I'm just not trying to get too caught up in it," Harman said. "It's just golf. I think when I held the 54-hole lead at the US Open, I just probably thought about it too much, just didn't focus on getting sleep and eating right. So that would be my focus this weekend."
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