Brian Harman quickly shuts down reporter's 'dreadful' nickname suggestion

Brian Harman told reporters the 'dreadful' nickname 'Harmanator' is not going to stick after he posted a flawless 65 to take the halfway lead at the 2023 Open Championship. 

American Harman, 36, tore round Royal Liverpool and fired a warning shot to the field with a glorious eagle finish after smashing a drive and lacing a perfect 5-iron into the green. 

• Open Championship 2023 live leaderboard

He was particularly emphatic on the front nine, carding four consecutive birdies in a row from the second hole. 

To illustrate how hot his putter was, statistics show he gained more than 8.33 strokes against the field in the putting department. 

Harman made seven pars in a row from the turn before holing his eagle putt in front of a packed grandstand. 

It meant that he was five strokes clear of England's Tommy Fleetwood before the Englishman began his second round. 

"I've had a hot putter the last couple days so [I am going to] try to ride it through the weekend," Harman said.

A reporter told Harman one of his buddies had texted him a potential nickname: the Harmanator. Does he like that? Will that stick?

Not according to Harman, who said:

Not since the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship has Harman tasted victory. In the years since he has held the 54-hole lead at a U.S. Open but his challenge faded. 

"I just probably thought about it too much," he said. "Just didn't focus on getting sleep and eating right. So that would be my focus this weekend." 

Harman is indeed in a very good spot. His 36-hole total of 132 matches the lowest in Open history. 

The other players card that score? Tiger Woods in 2006 and Rory McIlroy in 2014. Both at Royal Liverpool. 

Prodigious.



Brian Harman signs off with an eagle for a superb 65.



He leads by five shots. pic.twitter.com/a3u2j36SGn

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2023

Open Championship 2023 info:

• The Open Championship field
• The Open Championship tee times
• The Open Championship odds
• LIV Golf players in the field
• Streaming information
• How to watch
• Schedule
• Prize money information
• Exemption categories
• Players who are exempt but not competing

More GolfMagic articles from the 2023 Open Championship

• The coolest thing about The Open, according to Rory
• Why Tiger Woods isn't playing The Open
• Spieth channels inner child
• Stenson launched impassioned LIV Golf defence
• Cam Smith fires warning shot to Rory
• Cam Smith defends Greg Norman
• McIlroy snubs media duties (again!)
• Feature: Oliver Wilson interview
• Koepka fires back over Rory question
• Paige Spiranac weighs in on enduring debate
• Players briefed about Just Stop Oil
• Jon Rahm backs PGA Tour boss
• Fitzy downplays his Open chances
• R&A boss on Saudi investment for The Open
• Hideki caught 'twerking' on the range
• Senior player 'targeted' by activist
• McIlroy finally speaks to the media!
• R&A announces new tournament
• You won't miss Viktor Hovland this week
• Tiger arrives at The Open
• Pat Reed blasts merger
• Who is Christo Lamprecht?
• Par-3 17th claims first victim!
• Matt Jordan's other-worldly bunker shot
• Pat Reed with explosive comments
• Fleetwood raises hopes of Open success
• How Paige Spiranac celebrated The Open
• Wyndham Clark hits spectator's iPad
• Ernie Els rages with PGA Tour top brass
• Rickie Fowler labelled 'a coward'
• An outrageous McIlroy par save
• Lefty almost wipes out Collin
• Brooks Koepka with frosty response to reporter

Watched our latest YouTube video?