Quick Verdict: Ryan Fox shot an eight-under 62 in round three of the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, matching the lowest score ever recorded in a men’s major championship. It was the third 62 at Birkdale this week—after Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns—and it moved Fox into a share of the lead when he finished.
How did Ryan Fox shoot 62?
Ryan Fox began Saturday at level par before dismantling Royal Birkdale with a nine-birdie showcase that culminated in a historic par save on the final hole.
The New Zealander opened his third round with clinical efficiency, logging birdies at the second, third, fifth, and eighth holes to turn in a blistering 5-under 29. The momentum did not stall on the back nine, as Fox navigated the layout with aggressive approach play and a hot putter. By the time he walked off the 18th green, he had compiled nine birdies against a single bogey for a historic eight-under 62.
The round almost met a dramatic derailment on the 18th hole when Fox drove his ball into a fairway bunker on the right side of the hole. Rather than settling for a safe recovery, Fox launched a short iron over the steep bunker lip and onto the green. After a long birdie putt rolled up short, he cleaned up a par to solidify his name in major championship lore. The numbers on his scorecard tell the complete story of a golfer finding absolute clarity in link conditions.
What record did Fox equal?
A 62 is the lowest round in the history of The Open Championship and matches the lowest score in men’s major-championship golf.
Fox became the third player to post the score at Royal Birkdale during this single championship, joining the historic rounds posted by Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns during Friday's action. The New Zealander's performance means that Royal Birkdale has surrendered three 62s in the span of 48 hours, highlighting a scoring barrage that has completely rewritten tournament history.
Branden Grace was the first player to card a 62 in a men's major, achieving the feat during the third round of the 2017 Open at this same Southport venue. Before Grace's round, a 63 was considered the modern barrier. Today, the lowest score in men’s major-championship golf is no longer an isolated event, but a threshold that elite fields are crossing with increasing frequency.
| Player | Round | Score | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas Herbert | Round 2 | 62 | Matched the Open and men’s-major low round. |
| Sam Burns | Round 2 | 62 | Matched the same record shortly after Herbert. |
| Ryan Fox | Round 3 | 62 | Became the third player that week to equal the record. |
| Branden Grace | 2017, Round 3 | 62 | First player to shoot 62 in a men’s major. |
Why was Birkdale yielding scores?
Calm morning conditions temporarily stripped the Southport links of its primary defense, presenting a scoring window that the early starters exploited.
Links golf remains entirely dependent on weather variance. When the wind drops on an exposed layout like Royal Birkdale, the course yields opportunities to players who can execute precise drives and control their wedge spin. Fox noted after his round that morning conditions created an almost tangible pressure to post a low number, as the field knew the links would harden and the wind would likely return later in the afternoon.
Without wind, Royal Birkdale does not lose its structural difficulty, but it loses the defense that protects its pin placements. The players who took advantage of the morning lull did so by driving the ball straight and rolling putts with confidence, knowing that a passive strategy in calm air is a fast way to fall behind.
What about Bryson DeChambeau?
Bryson DeChambeau remains in contention despite a two-stroke rules penalty assessed on Friday that congested his route to the Claret Jug.
The rules infraction occurred on the par-4 fifth hole, where tournament officials determined Bryson DeChambeau had improved the area of his intended swing. The penalty added two strokes to his score, creating a steeper deficit on a crowded leaderboard. Despite the setback, DeChambeau began his third round within reach of the lead, leaning on his physical speed and competitive focus to stay in the championship fight.
The challenge for DeChambeau is navigating the mental fallout of the penalty while playing a course that penalizes emotional mistakes. Birkdale does not award points for distance; it requires precise placement. For DeChambeau, the final rounds represent a test of course management and temper control in equal measure.
The Raw Take
Ryan Fox did not steal a 62. He earned it shot by shot, then had the nerve to make par when the bunker on 18 tried to take the whole thing away.
Now the rest of the field has a problem. A low round used to be an exception at The Open. This week at Birkdale, it is becoming a warning.