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The Open: Brian Harman Dominates, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm Likely to Qualify

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The Open Championship 2023

Harman delivers a sterling bogey-free round with four birdies and an eagle

In a riveting performance at The Open, Brian Harman delivered a sensational six-under-par 65, catapulting him to a five-stroke lead in the second round.

Shining on the Royal Liverpool green, the American golfer made four consecutive birdies starting from the second hole before ending with a 15-foot eagle putt, elevating his score to 10 under par.

Rory McIlroy managed to inch closer to par, finishing with a score of one under from his round of 69, while Tyrrell Hatton ended two over par after a disappointing nine on the final hole and a round of 73.

Joint overnight leader Tommy Fleetwood will be resuming from a commendable second place at five under, among the later participants. Fleetwood’s co-leader, Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, unfortunately fell behind with a 74 after a double bogey on the second.

Meanwhile, South African amateur Christo Lamprecht had a rough start with four bogeys in his first six holes. But the spotlight was undeniably on Harman whose outstanding 65 was three strokes better than the next best performer of the early starters – Australia’s Min Woo Lee, who finished joint fourth on three under with a 68.

Harman’s impressive 132 shots equaled the record of Tiger Woods in 2006 and McIlroy in 2014 at Royal Liverpool, both of whom claimed victory.

Starting off just one shot behind the lead after a Thursday round of 67, Harman made impressive putts on the second, third, and fourth holes to take a two-shot lead, which was soon extended with a birdie on the par-five fifth.

Despite some tough calls in the back nine, Harman is pleased with his performance. A streak of 12 pars was maintained when Harman skillfully chipped in from the rough at the 12th hole to prevent a drop in his score.

Protests by Just Stop Oil briefly disrupted play at the par-three 17th hole, but order was restored well in time for Harman to complete his round with a spectacular 240-yard second shot to the heart of the par-five 18th green, followed by a successful eagle putt.

Despite being under par halfway through the Championship, McIlroy admits he gave shots away on easier holes. The world number two missed a couple of birdie opportunities, but his saving grace was his scrambling skills. Despite struggling on the back nine, he remained optimistic about the weekend.

The 18th hole wasn’t as punishing as the first round, but Tyrrell Hatton wasn’t as fortunate, dropping from two under to two over with a quintuple-bogey nine. World number three Jon Rahm expressed his disappointment over missed short putts during his one-under 70 round.

As the Masters champion wisely pointed out, in major championships, every shot counts, with luck or fortune aside.

More updates to follow.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about The Open Championship

Who was the standout player in the second round of The Open Championship?

Brian Harman was the standout player, delivering a sensational six-under-par 65, which put him five strokes ahead of the field.

How did Brian Harman’s performance compare to previous records at Royal Liverpool?

Harman’s total of 132 shots matched the record set by Tiger Woods in 2006 and Rory McIlroy in 2014 at Royal Liverpool, both of whom went on to win the championship.

How did Rory McIlroy perform in the second round?

Rory McIlroy managed to inch closer to par, finishing with a score of one under from his round of 69. He admitted to giving away shots on easier holes but remained optimistic about the weekend.

What incident occurred at the par-three 17th hole?

Protests by a group called Just Stop Oil briefly disrupted play at the par-three 17th hole. The protesters used orange flares and powder, but the situation was cleared well before Harman played the hole.

What was Jon Rahm’s performance like?

Jon Rahm, world number three, scored a one-under 70. He expressed disappointment over missed short putts, underlining the importance of every shot in major championships.

More about The Open Championship

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5 comments

EagleEye78 July 22, 2023 - 12:59 am

hatton really got hit hard on the 18th… painful to watch. hope he recovers for the next round.

Reply
GolfFan2023 July 22, 2023 - 5:49 am

Woah, Brian Harman’s on fire! Can’t believe he’s matched Woods and McIlroy’s record. That’s insane, good on him!

Reply
DriverDude July 22, 2023 - 6:24 am

Rahm’s gotta step up his game…those missed short putts can be a real game changer, he knows it!

Reply
ParForeCourse July 22, 2023 - 11:22 am

those protesters at the 17th, what a scene! lucky they cleared out in time for harman.

Reply
BirdieMaster July 22, 2023 - 12:36 pm

rory’s scrambling skills are unmatched! reckon he’s gonna make a come back in the next round. fingers crossed!

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