The Open: Brian Harman hails ‘hot putter’ after setting commanding target at Royal Liverpool | Golf News

American Brian Hermann carded an eagle and four birdies in a bogey-free 65 to card a 10-under and take an impressive lead at the clubhouse at Royal Liverpool; Watch The Open live on Sky Sports Golf all weekend

Brian Hermann is refusing to get hung up on his hopes and bid for a first major after taking a huge lead with a stunning second round at the 151st Open.

The American, headed into the men’s final of the year with top-12 finishes in his last three starts but without a PGA Tour win since 2017, continued his impressive form to set the clubhouse target at Royal Liverpool.

Herman followed up an opening round 67 with a stunning bogey-free 65 on Friday morning, four birdies in his first five holes and a long-range eagle on his final hole to move him to 10-under for the tournament.

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Brian Hermann rattles off four consecutive birdies on day two at The Open

“I’ve been having a lot of trouble the last few days, so try to run it over the weekend,” Herman said. “There are 36 holes to go, so try to relax and get ready. I’m happy with the way I’m playing. I’m really looking forward to getting some rest and getting on with it tomorrow.

“I started the year with really high aspirations. I played pretty well the whole of last year and up until the end. I just missed the Presidents Cup and I felt like I was kind of on a springboard.

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Leader Brian Hermann looked in trouble on the 12th but holed a superb chip to avoid a dropped shot

“I had two runner-up finishes in the fall, feeling great, and then at the beginning of the year I hit this weird wall and I couldn’t get out of it. I just doubled down on my process and started playing some really good golf here recently.”

After Herman holed out from 25 feet to make a 20-foot birdie in the second, the left-hander added another birdie from 18 feet in the par-four fourth to jump two ahead.

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The world No. 26 almost chipped in for eagle from the rough on the fifth, tapping-in for a fourth consecutive birdie, with an eight-foot par putt on the eighth to help him convert a 31.

After Herman was up-and-down on the next two greens and then holed the putting surface to make a par at the 12th, the American continued his bogey-free round by holed out from 10 feet on the 16th and sand to save par on the next.

He then finished his second round in style, firing his approach to 15 feet and equaling the 36-hole total of 132 recorded by Tiger Woods in 2006 and Rory McIlroy in 2014 at Royal Liverpool in the eagle putt – who both went on to lift the Claret Jug.

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Brian Herman finished the second round on a high with an eagle on the 18th to take his score to 10-under.

The two-time PGA Tour winner took a one-shot lead into the final round of the 2017 US Open and finished second, four strokes behind Brooks Koepka, though he believes he can learn from that near-miss this weekend at Hoylake.

“I’m trying not to get too caught up in this,” Herman said. “It’s just golf. I think when I had a 54-hole lead at the US Open, I probably thought too much about it, just didn’t focus on getting enough sleep and eating right. So that’s going to be my focus this weekend.”

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