Lucas Herbert Matches Major Record With 62 at The Open, Then Misses 61 at the Last

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

Lucas Herbert produced one of the rounds of The Open at Royal Birkdale, shooting an eight-under-par 62 that BBC Sport describes as record-equalling. The Australian reached nine under through 17 holes, putting him on the edge of men's major championship history, before a bogey at the final hole left him one shot away from the first 61 in a men's major.

That closing bogey changes the headline from historic first to record-equalling brilliance, but it should not flatten the round. A 62 in a major remains an extraordinary scoring event, especially because the source frames it as a round packed with emotion rather than a routine low number. Herbert himself admitted to feeling all the emotions after coming so close.

Why it matters:

In major championship golf, the number carries its own weight. A 61 would have stood alone in men's major history, and the fact Herbert was still chasing it on the 18th hole gives the round an unusually sharp edge. He did not merely post early and wait for context. According to the BBC summary, he had the record in reach until the closing hole.

That matters for the tournament because a round like this can redraw the leaderboard and change how the rest of the field thinks about scoring conditions. If Royal Birkdale yielded a 62, players nearby will know aggressive movement is possible. At the same time, Herbert's final-hole bogey is a reminder that the course still had enough resistance to punish one late mistake.

Tournament impact:

The immediate consequence is momentum. Herbert's score puts him into the centre of the Open conversation, not just as a player with a low round but as someone who nearly delivered a number never before seen in a men's major championship.

The wider consequence depends on what follows. A record-equalling round can become the platform for a title run, or it can become the peak of a volatile week. The BBC source does not provide Herbert's full leaderboard position, round number within the tournament, or the scores of his rivals, so the exact championship math cannot be stated from the supplied facts.

What to watch:

The key question is how Herbert backs it up. After coming within one hole of major history, the next round becomes as much about emotional reset as swing execution. Players who shoot extremely low in majors often face a different kind of pressure afterward: expectations arrive quickly, and conservative decisions can suddenly feel harder.

Confidence:

Confirmed by BBC Sport: Herbert shot an eight-under-par 62 at Royal Birkdale, reached nine under through 17 holes, made a closing bogey, and missed the first 61 in men's major championship history. Still needing follow-up: exact leaderboard position, round context, and how the score affects his final Open chances.