Sam Burns and Lucas Herbert each shot a 62 during the second round of the 2026 Open Championship on Friday [1].
The achievement marks a rare feat in professional golf, as both players tied the lowest single-round score ever recorded in a major championship [1], [2].
The record-tying rounds took place at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England [1], [3]. The pair joined an elite group of players to reach this mark, which was first established by Branden Grace nine years ago [1], [2].
Burns and Herbert maintained precision throughout the day to navigate the challenging course. Their performance at Royal Birkdale represents a significant shift in the leaderboard as the tournament progresses toward the weekend.
While the Open Championship is often defined by its unpredictable weather and difficult bunkers, the conditions on Friday allowed for aggressive play. The identical scores of 62 [1] highlight a level of consistency and scoring power that rarely appears simultaneously from two different competitors in the same round of a major.
Royal Birkdale is known for its demanding layout, making the feat more impressive to analysts and fans. The players now carry this momentum into the third round, where they will attempt to maintain their positions at the top of the standings.
“Both players shot a 62 in Round 2, tying the major-championship lowest-round record.”
Matching the lowest round in major history suggests an aggressive approach to the Royal Birkdale course that could redefine the scoring expectations for the remainder of the tournament. By tying a record that had stood for nearly a decade, Burns and Herbert have positioned themselves as primary contenders, putting pressure on the rest of the field to find similar scoring efficiencies to remain competitive.
