Photo Credit: Golf Digest
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Lucas Herbert produced one of the greatest rounds in major championship history Friday at Royal Birkdale. The Australian fired an 8-under 62 to grab the lead after two rounds of the 154th Open Championship. Although he narrowly missed the outright major scoring record, Herbert still earned a place in golf history.
Herbert entered the day several shots behind the leaders. However, he caught fire immediately and never slowed down. He birdied his first three holes and added more birdies at the fifth, seventh, and ninth. As a result, he reached the turn in 28 strokes, matching the lowest front-nine score ever recorded at The Open.
He kept the pressure on during the back nine. Herbert birdied the 11th and 12th holes before adding another at the 16th. He stood at 9 under for the round heading to the difficult par-4 18th. One more par would have given him the lowest score ever recorded in a men’s major championship.
Instead, trouble arrived off the tee. Herbert sliced his drive into the native area on the right side. Officials granted him relief after his ball stopped beneath a security railing. He recovered well and nearly saved par. However, he missed a five-foot putt and settled for his lone bogey of the day.
Despite the disappointment, Herbert finished with a remarkable 62. The score matched the major championship record first established by Branden Grace during the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale. Since then, several players have equaled the mark, including Xander Schauffele and Shane Lowry during the 2024 PGA Championship. Herbert now leads the championship at 8 under through 36 holes. Jackson Suber sits alone in second after shooting a 1-under 69 to reach 6 under.
Cameron Young remains close after posting his second straight 67, leaving him at 5 under. Sam Burns also reached 5 under after matching Herbert’s historic 62. Burns delivered one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. He began Friday at 3 over after struggling late in his opening round. Nevertheless, everything clicked during the second round. The American finished dramatically. Burns birdied the final three holes, including an incredible bunker hole-out on the 18th. That shot secured his 62 and vaulted him into contention entering the weekend.
Burns admitted he never expected such a turnaround. He simply hoped to move under par for the championship after Thursday’s disappointing finish. Instead, he matched one of golf’s greatest scoring achievements. His week almost never happened. Burns considered skipping The Open after the July 3 birth of his daughter, Belle. Fortunately, his agent entered him into the field. Burns arrived in England only on Monday before producing one of the finest rounds of his career.
Herbert also enters the weekend with growing confidence. The world No. 97 already owns victories on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Earlier this season, he captured a LIV Golf victory at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia. Now he stands two rounds away from his first major championship. While Herbert celebrated, Bryson DeChambeau dealt with frustration after receiving a costly two-shot penalty.
DeChambeau originally signed for a 4-under 66, which placed him alone in second place. However, rules officials reviewed an incident at the par-4 fifth hole. His drive finished inside thick grass within the penalty area. Officials ruled that DeChambeau improved his lie by trampling grass behind the ball before making his recovery shot. The ruling added two penalty strokes and changed his round to a 68. Consequently, DeChambeau dropped into a tie for fifth, three shots behind Herbert.
The decision sparked a lengthy discussion between DeChambeau and tournament officials. Afterward, television cameras appeared to catch him saying he would not play Saturday. His agent later repeated that statement, creating uncertainty about his weekend plans. Another rules issue involved Jon Rahm. The Spaniard received an official code-of-conduct warning after throwing his club following a poor tee shot on the par-3 15th hole.
Rahm eventually signed for a 3-under 67 and remained four shots behind Herbert. Nevertheless, tournament officials issued the warning under The Open’s serious misconduct policy. That policy remains active throughout the tournament. A second violation would bring a two-shot penalty. A third offense would result in disqualification. Rahm accepted responsibility for his actions. He admitted he understood why officials approached him later in the round. Still, he said he would not change his competitive personality because passion fuels his game.
The warning continued a trend across major championships this season. Joaquín Niemann received a two-shot penalty during the U.S. Open after throwing a wedge. Sergio García also earned an official warning earlier this year at the Masters. While contenders celebrated, several star players packed their bags early after missing the cut.
Matt Fitzpatrick saw his streak of 28 consecutive made cuts end after rounds of 72 and 72. Cameron Smith missed his third straight Open cut despite shooting a second-round 69. Jordan Spieth also failed to reach the weekend after rounds of 73 and 77. His second round included three double bogeys, including a costly three-putt double bogey late in the day.
Other notable players missing the weekend included Wyndham Clark, Tom Kim, Viktor Hovland, Jason Day, Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, Harris English, Henrik Stenson, Aaron Rai, Joaquín Niemann, Akshay Bhatia, and Max Greyserman. On the other hand, Max Homa fought his way into the weekend. He eagled the par-5 17th before saving par on the 18th for a 69. That effort allowed him to make the cut at 1 over.
As Saturday approaches, Herbert owns the lead. However, several accomplished players remain within striking distance. Burns, Cameron Young, Suber, Rahm, and DeChambeau all have realistic chances to challenge for the Claret Jug. After two dramatic days at Royal Birkdale, the championship remains wide open. Record-setting golf, controversial rulings, and emotional moments have already defined this Open. Even bigger moments likely await during the final 36 holes.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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