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Fox Ties Major 62 as Burns Leads Into Final

7/19/2026

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Summary

Fox Ties Record

Ryan Fox (New Zealand) carded a 62 at Royal Birkdale, equalling the lowest round in major history and sharing the lead.
Sam Burns (U.S.) shot a 65, 10-under, taking a two-shot lead into The Open’s final round.
Bryson DeChambeau (U.S.) took a penalty but answered with a four-under 66, staying one shot off the lead.
The R&A altered pin positions and added bunker slopes for Sunday after the back-to-back 62s.

Summary

Fox Leads Birkdale

Fox surged from outside the top-50 to share the third-round lead at Royal Birkdale.
A win would make him the first New Zealand Open champion since Bob Charles in 1963.
The 39-year-old, a two-time PGA Tour winner, previously tied for 19th at the 2025 U.S. Open.
He expects the R&A to add bunker-slope difficulty on Sunday, planning to repeat his aggressive ten-foot birdie strategy.

History

Historical Context

Bob Charles became the first New Zealand champion when he won the 92nd Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes from 10–13 July 1963, prevailing in a 36-hole playoff by eight strokes. His victory followed a post-war trend of expanding international winners—Sam Snead, Bobby Locke and Peter Thomson—while the 1963 event marked the final 36-hole playoff before the format changed.

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Fox Ties Record

Ryan Fox (New Zealand) carded a 62 at Royal Birkdale, equalling the lowest round in major history and sharing the lead.
Sam Burns (U.S.) shot a 65, 10-under, taking a two-shot lead into The Open’s final round.
Bryson DeChambeau (U.S.) took a penalty but answered with a four-under 66, staying one shot off the lead.
The R&A altered pin positions and added bunker slopes for Sunday after the back-to-back 62s.

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