Ryan Fox shot an eight-under-par 62 on Saturday to tie for the lead during the third round of the 2026 Open Championship [1, 2].
The performance marks a historic milestone in men's major championship golf, placing Fox among a tiny elite of players to achieve such a low score in a single round [3].
Fox, 39, carded the 62 at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England [1, 2]. The score ties the record for the lowest round ever recorded in a men's major championship [1, 3]. Fox is only the third golfer to ever shoot a 62 in a major, reports said [3].
Conditions at the course played a significant role in the scoring surge. Officials and analysts said that calm weather with almost no wind allowed Fox to play more aggressively than in previous rounds [4, 1]. This lack of wind is rare for the coastal environment of Royal Birkdale, which typically challenges players with heavy gusts.
Fox entered the day trailing the leaders but used the historic round to propel himself to the top of the leaderboard heading into the final day [2, 3]. The event is the 154th edition of the Open Championship [5].
As the tournament moves into the final round, the pressure shifts to Fox to maintain this momentum. His climb to the lead comes after a consistent performance throughout the week, culminating in the record-tying Saturday effort [4].
“Ryan Fox is only the third golfer to ever shoot a 62 in a major”
Fox's record-tying round shifts the competitive dynamics of the 154th Open Championship. By leveraging a rare window of calm weather at Royal Birkdale, Fox has not only erased his deficit but established a psychological advantage heading into the final round. This performance places him in the historical context of the game's greatest scoring feats, making him the immediate favorite to win the title if he can sustain this precision.
