American golfer leads at Royal Liverpool with impressive 10-under-par halfway total
Brian Harman delivered a flawless second-round performance at the 151st Open Championship, posting a 65 to reach 10-under-par at the halfway stage. This exceptional round included four birdies in a row on the front nine, plus an eagle from 15 feet on the 18th. Harman’s total of 132 after two rounds matches the best halfway scores recorded by Rory McIlroy (2014) and Tiger Woods (2006), though both of them were 12-under at the same point in the tournament.
McIlroy, seeking his first major title in nearly a decade, finished the day nine shots behind Harman after adding a 70 to his opening 71. While McIlroy secured a birdie on the 18th, he faces a significant gap to the leader.
Harman, aiming to become just the third left-handed golfer to win The Open after Bob Charles in 1963 and Phil Mickelson in 2013, remains calm and composed. The 36-year-old credits his strong putting performance and mental approach, which he’s learned from previous major championship experiences, including his lead at the 2017 U.S. Open.
His excellent play came amid a controversial change to the course’s bunkers between rounds. In response to player complaints about the penal nature of the bunkers, the R&A altered how they were raked to allow more balls to roll back to the centre. Jon Rahm and McIlroy had both struggled with the course’s 82 bunkers, with Rahm calling them “proper penalty structures.”
Despite the challenging course conditions, Harman’s confidence remains high as he looks to extend his lead over the weekend.
