Quick Summary: Lucas Herbert missed a five-foot putt on the 18th hole at Royal Birkdale that would have given him the first 61 in men's major championship history. Just 22 minutes later, Sam Burns finished with a spectacular bunker hole-out to match Herbert's 62. Both players tied the all-time scoring record on a historic Friday at The Open.
What Is the Major Championship Scoring Record?
An 8-under 62 is the lowest 18-hole score in men's major championship history, representing the most exclusive scoring milestone in golf. This is the major championship record that has stood since 2017. Herbert and Burns each shot 62 in Round 2 at Royal Birkdale to tie the lowest round in major championship history. The mark is now shared by six different players across seven occasions, which tells you how rare and how stubborn it is.
Who Holds the 62 Record?
Six players on seven occasions, forming a short and highly elite historical list. The Branden Grace 62 set the mark first, at the 2017 Open, on this very course. Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele both matched it at the 2023 US Open. Schauffele did it again alongside Shane Lowry at the 2024 PGA Championship. And now Herbert and Burns have added their names on the same Friday. Three of the seven 62s have come at Royal Birkdale, which is quietly becoming the most scoreable major venue on the rota.
How Close Did Lucas Herbert Come to a 61?
One single, agonizing five-foot par putt on the final green separated Lucas Herbert from golf history. That's how close golf came to its first 61 in major history. Herbert played flawless golf for 17 holes, and standing on the par-5 18th he needed only a par to card the lowest round in the history of the sport's biggest events.
The Putt That Broke His Heart
He read it left edge, thought the wind might nudge it, and watched it jag left early and never come back. Par became bogey-free brilliance with an asterisk of what-might-have-been. "I'm absolutely disappointed, and at the same time, so proud of today," Herbert said afterwards, bent over with his hands on his knees. "It's a pretty good problem to have, too, to be disappointed you shot 62." Two emotions at once, and you could see both written on his face.
The Front Nine Nobody Saw Coming
Here's the part that made the record real. The Herbert front nine, a bogey-free 6-under 28, tied the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded at a major. Six birdies on the bounce out of the gate. A self-confessed golf nerd, he admitted he started thinking about the record after just three straight birdies to open, and instead of tightening up the way most players would, he kept firing. The birdies just kept coming.
Who Is Sam Burns, and How Did His 62 Happen?
He was the calmer, quieter half of a wild afternoon at Royal Birkdale, mounting a late charge without even realizing history was on the line. While Herbert wrestled with history, Burns simply played his way into it, closing with a birdie-birdie-birdie finish capped by a holed bunker shot on the 18th. The kicker? He wasn't even aware of the record when he did it.
The Bunker Shot That Made History
Burns found the sand on the last, then holed out to complete his own eight-birdie 62, matching Herbert's number to the shot. No hands on knees, no agonizing, just a brilliant recovery and a place in the record books he didn't know he was chasing.
Why Do Records Keep Falling at Royal Birkdale?
Because the course is playing as a firm, fast, and highly scoreable par 70 under near-perfect weather conditions. When a links course is firm, fast, and the wind stays down, the birdies come in bunches, and Birkdale has now hosted three of the seven lowest rounds in major history. Herbert himself pointed to the par-70 setup as the opportunity, saying the chance to get off to a hot start on a course like this is exactly what a major offers a player who rarely gets to tee it up in them.
A Week of Broken Records
This didn't happen in a vacuum. The Herbert and Burns 62s came just one week after the Ryu 60 at the Evian Championship, the lowest round in the history of any major, men's or women's. Golf is having a scoring moment right now, and the record books are taking a battering on both tours in the space of eight days.
What Does This Mean for the Open Leaderboard?
It blew the tournament wide open, vaulting both record-breakers straight into the thick of contention. Both 62s vaulted Herbert and Burns straight up the Open Championship 2026 leaderboard and into contention at Royal Birkdale, turning a quiet week into a genuine shootout. Herbert, a LIV Golf player who won earlier this year in Virginia, suddenly looks like a genuine Claret Jug threat, and the Herbert LIV Golf storyline just got a lot more interesting.
Who Else Is in the Mix?
The big names are lurking. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler was grinding his way around, while Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa stayed in touch. At the other end, Rory McIlroy, the reigning Masters champion, and Matt Fitzpatrick spent Friday scrapping just to survive the even-par cut line. The gap between the record-breakers and the strugglers on the same day is what makes this Open so hard to call.
The Raw Read
Golf gave us something special on Friday. Two players, same conditions, both reaching a number only four others had ever touched. One knew exactly what was on the line and had his heart broken by a putt. The other holed a bunker shot and found out he'd made history afterwards.
The cruel bit is that we still haven't seen a 61. Herbert was an inch of green away from being the answer to a trivia question forever, and he'll replay that putt for years. But there's no shame in tying the greatest scoring feat the sport has produced. Birkdale is giving up low numbers, the leaderboard is stacked, and after a week where Ryu shot 60 and two men shot 62, that 61 feels like it's coming. Somebody's going to get it. Just not this time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the major championship scoring record?
An 8-under 62 is the lowest 18-hole score in men's major championship history. Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns both matched it in Round 2 of the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Who has shot 62 in a major?
Six players on seven occasions: Branden Grace (2017 Open), Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele (2023 US Open), Schauffele and Shane Lowry (2024 PGA Championship), and Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns (2026 Open).
Has anyone ever shot 61 at a major?
No. Lucas Herbert came within a five-foot par putt on the 18th of becoming the first, but he missed and settled for a 62.
What did Lucas Herbert shoot on the front nine?
A bogey-free 6-under 28, tying the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded at a major championship, with six straight birdies to start.
Who is leading the Open Championship 2026?
Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns surged into contention with their 62s at Royal Birkdale, joining a leaderboard that includes Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau.
Why are scores so low at Royal Birkdale?
The course is playing as a firm, fast, scoreable par 70 in calm conditions. Birkdale has now produced three of the seven lowest rounds in major championship history.