Lucas Herbert takes the lead with historic round at The Open

Second Round

A remarkable second round in The Open saw Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns both equal the record for the lowest score in a major within minutes of each other.

A bogey at the last cost Australian Herbert his place in history with a new mark after a run of nine birdies but his 62 – recorded by four other men, including Ireland’s Shane Lowry at the 2024 PGA Championship – propelled him into a two-shot lead on eight-under at Royal Birkdale with Lowry five shots back and Rory McIlroy finishing on one-under par.

Incredibly, within 20 minutes American Burns holed out from a greenside bunker on 18 for his sixth birdie on the back nine to also post the same number as Herbert, having covered the front nine in two under.

And even more remarkably it was the second time in three years two players separated by just one group had posted record-equalling scores, matching the feat of Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler in the 2023 US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

That pair had followed the first man to achieve a 62: South African Branden Grace in the third round at the par-70 Birkdale in 2017.

Schauffele repeated the feat, along with Lowry, in the 2024 US PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Bizarrely, Herbert failed to take advantage of the two back-nine par fives, before a drive into the rough and then a missed five-footer at the 18th brought his first bogey.

The 30-year-old covered the front nine in just 28 strokes, equalling Denis Durnian’s 1983 Open record, to get to six under and came home in 33 to move two ahead of overnight leader Jackson Suber, who shot a 69.

Herbert, whose previous best round at The Open was a 67 at St Andrews in 2022, missed a 10-foot birdie putt at the 17th, having also parred the other par five.

Coincidentally, a new record was set in women’s majors only last Saturday when Haeran Ryu shot 60 at the Evian Championship.

Herbert had mixed feelings about his experience, saying: “I’m absolutely disappointed, and at the same time so proud to put my name on that list of guys that have shot 62 in a major championship.

“It’s kind of holding two emotions there at the same time. It’s a tricky one, and I’m sure once the dust settles, I’ll be able to sort of decompress it a little bit.

“I can at least sit here and tell you guys that I did the best I could to shoot the best round I could, and I have no regrets.

“The first 12 holes, I might not play 12 better holes in my life. I was eight under through 12 and you could make a very good argument that I could have been a couple better as well.”

Burns began the day outside the cut line on three over but finished it three off the lead.

“I caught myself by surprise,” said the 29-year-old, who only decided to travel on Friday after wife Caroline gave birth early to their second child, Belle, a fortnight ago.

“I thought there was zero percent chance (of playing). Then we ended up having her on the third, even then I still wasn’t expecting to play but my wife encouraged me to come over here and play and here we are.”

On eight under par, Herbert holds a two-stroke lead at the midway point from a trio of players including the Players Champion Cameron Young, Ryan Gerard and first round leader Jackson Suber.

It originally looked like he was only going to hold a one stroke lead but for sensational controversy late in the day, when Bryson DeChambeau, who had carded a round of 66 to reach seven under par, was handed a two stroke penalty for inadvertently improving his lie on the fifth hole.

DeChambeau had produced a brilliant birdie-birdie finish which he thought had put him in the final group for Saturday on seven under par.

However, moments after signing his card he was informed there were issues with how he played the driveable par-four fifth and was taken out to the spot of the alleged infringement while the later finishers were still out on the course.

The suggestion appeared to be that having carved his drive wide right over the pond into rough he had trampled down some high grass which allowed him a better angle to hit his ball.

After several minutes of animated discussion, which involved the 32-year-old – club in hand – attempting to show R&A officials how he had played the shot, the two-time US Open champion was driven back to the recorders’ office with a face like thunder where further discussions were held.

Lowry is the best-placed of the Irish contingent with a second round 68 to sit five shots off the lead.

The 2019 champion bookended the front nine with birdies, and while it was relatively steady fare after the turn with seven successive pars, he found trouble at the 17th.

The demanding 573-yard par-five hole is a compelling penultimate test, framed by two towering sand dunes and while the drive found the fairway, his second shot was hooked left, finding the rough to the left of the green.

It was a scramble from there and couldn’t hole from 11 feet to drop his first shot.

Thankfully from his perspective, he finished strongly, a cracking approach shot setting up a four-foot putt for birdie to sign off for a two-under 68.

Masters champion McIlroy  ensured he made the weekend after starting the day two over.

Four birdies and one bogey saw him sign for a 67 and move comfortably within the cut-line.

“I think the main objective was to be here for the weekend, which I am,” said the County Down man.

“If I can get off to a decent start tomorrow, be four or five under for the tournament, I’ll be right in it.”