Full Breakdown
Record-Tying 62s at Royal Birkdale: Herbert’s Near-Historic Bogey and Burns’s Bunker Birdie
7/18/2026, 12:54:29 AM
Core Event
On Friday of the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, two players each posted a round of 62, the lowest score ever recorded in a men’s major. Australian Lucas Herbert finished eight-under-par after a bogey on the 18th, while American Sam Burns matched the score with a birdie-birdie-birdie finish that included a dramatic bunker shot on the final hole.
Background & Context
Royal Birkdale, a par-70 links course, offered fast, dry conditions with little wind for the second round. The venue had previously hosted the first major-record 62 when South Africa’s Branden Grace shot 62 in the third round of the 2017 Open. Since then, the 62 has been matched four times—twice by Xander Schauffele and once each by Shane Lowry and Rickie Fowler—bringing the total to seven rounds of 62 in major-championship history, three of them at Birkdale.
Key Figures & Groups
- Lucas Herbert – 30-year-old Australian, world-ranked 97, member of the LIV Golf Ripper GC team. Prior victories include the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship, a wire-to-wire win at the LIV event at Trump National Golf Club, and three DP World Tour titles.
- Sam Burns – 29-year-old American, runner-up at the 2023 U.S. Open. He entered the Open after his daughter Belle was born on July 3, a decision made by his agent Brett Falkoff. Burns had not played extensively on links courses before this round.
Data & Statistics
- Both players recorded eight-under-par 62s, tying the major-championship scoring record.
- Herbert’s front nine of 28 matched the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded at The Open.
- Burns’s back-nine birdie run included a 40-foot bunker shot on the 18th.
- The 62s were achieved within 22 minutes of each other, making them the sixth and seventh rounds of 62 in major history.
Official Statements & Responses
Herbert expressed a mixture of disappointment and pride after missing a five-foot par putt on the 18th that would have given him a 61. He emphasized that the round placed him among an elite group of players who have shot 62 in a major. Burns, who had not anticipated a record-tying performance, described his finish as a “bonus” and highlighted the difficulty of the 18th bunker shot. Both players noted that the round positioned them well heading into the weekend’s play.
Criticism & Opposition
No formal criticism or rule disputes were reported concerning the rounds themselves. A separate discussion about a caddie’s use of a rangefinder at the tournament was unrelated to the record-tying scores.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I'm absolutely disappointed, and at the same time, so proud of today,” — Lucas Herbert, Australian golfer
- “I didn’t hit a bad putt. I can at least sleep easy tonight knowing I didn’t hit a bad putt,” — Lucas Herbert
- “I caught myself by surprise,” — Sam Burns, American golfer
- “It was a tricky bunker shot because I had to land it in the fringe there and use the slope down to the hole. Definitely very lucky for it to go in.” — Sam Burns
- “I thought about it, if one kid gets woken up by their parents to watch me finish this round because that’s the record being broken, that would be so cool, and it would tickle me pink,” — Lucas Herbert
Why It Matters
The simultaneous 62s underscore the increasingly low scoring possible on modern links courses under favorable conditions. By joining a short list that includes Branden Grace, Xander Schauffele, Shane Lowry and Rickie Fowler, Herbert and Burns have reinforced the Open’s reputation for historic low rounds while highlighting the fine line between triumph and near-miss, as illustrated by Herbert’s final-hole bogey.
