Harman makes move at Open, mixed bag again for McIlroy
American Harman lifted the Claret Jug at a soggy Royal Liverpool two years ago but arrived on the Northern Ireland coast under the radar.
However, he gained four shots in his opening 10 holes to reach six-under along with Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard.
England's Tyrrell Hatton was a shot back on five-under halfway through his round, as was American Harris English.
After Thursday's heavy rain showers and stiff breezes, bright conditions and light winds greeted the early groups on Friday and with receptive greens several players profited.
With his trademark accuracy and hot putter again in evidence, the 38-year-old Harman birdied the par-four opening hole after a superb approach shot left him a tap-in.
Harman capitalised on the two par-five holes on the outward nine, with birdies on both, and reached six-under after another laser-like approach left him a tap-in on the 10th.
Hojgaard, who like Harman began two shots off the overnight leaders, picked up five birdies in his opening 13 holes with his only blemish a bogey at the seventh.
His twin brother Nicolai was also on the front page of the leaderboard at three under early in his second round.
McIlroy, again attracting huge galleries, scrambled to a one-under 70 on Thursday and it was a similar story early in his second round as he mixed mistakes and brilliance.
The 36-year-old, bidding to win his second Open 11 years after his first, had the crowds roaring with a birdie on the first and then did brilliantly to salvage a par five at the second after slicing his drive into deep rough and taking a penalty drop.
He dropped a shot at the par-three third after a poor tee shot left him with a horrible stance.
A birdie followed at the fourth to leave McIlroy still at one-under after eight holes.
Other upward movers on Friday were Scotland's Robert MacIntyre who reached three under after going out in 33.
Joint overnight leader Jacob Skov Olesen began his second round in horrible fashion with a quadruple bogey eight on the first after driving out of bounds twice off the tee. In one hole he dropped from the top of the leaderboard to 36th.
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