Herbert leads at Royal Birkdale with record-equalling second round

Lucas Herbert and his caddie Nick Pugh share a moment during the Australia’s record-equalling second round in the 154th Open Championship at England’s Royal Birkdale on Friday. Image courtesy theopen.com.

From a Correspondent

Royal Birkdale, England: Prior to Friday at The 154th Open, there had been just five rounds of 62 at men’s majors. By the time the final putt had landed, that number had climbed to seven.

Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns joined an illustrious list on a remarkable day of low scoring at Royal Birkdale, which was also the venue when Branden Grace became the founding member of the exclusive 62 club.

Herbert, who was a missed five-foot putt on the 18th away from becoming the first man to card a 61 in one of golf’s showpiece events, shot to the summit and will begin the weekend on 8 under par 132.

Jackson Suber, the overnight leader after round one, is two shots adrift alongside compatriots Cameron Young and Ryan Gerard, while Burns was joined by Si Woo-Kim at 5 under 135.

Bryson DeChambeau is also 5 under heading into the weekend. He was assessed a two-stroke penalty under Rule 8.1 on the 5th hole, meaning his score for round two was a 2 under 68.

Grant Moir, Chief Referee, The Open, said: “I would reiterate this rule applies even when there’s no intention to improve the area, as was the case with Bryson.”

Home hero Tommy Fleetwood, along with Matt Wallace, Robert MacIntyre and Alex Fitzpatrick lead the British charge a shot further back, while a raft of big names remain in reach with the leaderboard intriguingly poised.

Herbert sets pace

The tone was set early by Herbert, who birdied each of his first three holes in an eye-catching start.

He admitted afterwards that his approach to five feet on the third was when he began dreaming of something special and his momentum continued from there.

A monster putt from 35 feet gave him the lead at hole 7, while another birdie on 9 saw him equal an Open record for the lowest-ever front nine, matching the 28 recorded by Denis Durnian in 1983.

A staggering sub-60 looked achievable when he picked up shots at 11 and 12, with a ninth birdie arriving at the 16th. Two pars and a place in the history books was his.

But The Open is never that simple. Having dramatically saved par at 17 thanks to a deft chip from the rough, he went a long way right off the tee at 18.

Herbert recovered to set up a five-footer but whether it was the weight of the potential achievement or just his first misread of the day, the ball did not do the necessary.

The disappointment was etched on his face but the pride remains – and as he put it, ‘it is a good problem to have to be disappointed with a 62’.

The lead is his to lose.

Burns’ blitz

All eyes were on Herbert but two groups behind him, Burns was quietly putting together a record-equalling round of his own.

The 29-year-old, ranked 18th in the world, had all-but withdrawn from The 154th Open with his wife due to give birth in the middle of July.

But baby Belle arrived early, Burns’ name had been kept in the hat by his agent and now the new father is in the thick of the race for the Claret Jug.

He caught fire after the turn on Friday, with six birdies down the stretch including each of the last three holes.

His 62 was sealed in fitting fashion, a glorious chip-in from a greenside bunker at the 18th bringing the house down and ensuring Herbert had company.

There is nothing quite like the sound of spectators roaring at The Open and this one would have reverberated around Merseyside.

“I think it was probably last Friday that I chose to play,” said Burns later. “I thought there was zero per cent chance. Brett … was like, ‘I’m just going to sign you up just in case’.

“I was like, ‘you can, but I’m probably not going to be able to play’. Then we ended up having Belle on July 3rd. Even then, I still wasn’t expecting to play by any means.

“I had a bunch of conversations with my wife, and she encouraged me to come over here and play, and here we are.

“She’s just amazing, a superhero. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be here.

“I haven’t really played a whole lot of golf leading up to this.

“Didn’t get here until midday on Monday, so I was just trying to get my feet under me for the first couple days.

“I don’t know if there’s lower expectations, but I think as a competitor, you still expect a lot out of yourself. But I definitely tried to be a little more patient with myself.”

In the hunt

Plenty of Burns’ compatriots are also prominent in the chasing pack.

DeChambeau has managed 10 birdies in his opening two rounds, following five on Thursday with five more on Friday, and at three shots back has the firepower to mount a serious challenge this weekend.

Suber, who shot to prominence with his opening-day 65, started like a man far from overawed with his status as the overnight leader and birdied the 2nd.

Three consecutive bogeys followed as he began to falter but the 26-year-old, still in his first week of links golf, showed admirable character to battle back with four birdies after the turn on his way to a one-under round of 69.

Young and Gerard have been rewarded for consistency so far, with back-to-back rounds of 67 putting the pair within two of the lead. The former, second at St Andrews in 2022, has given himself a chance of going one better.

Scheffler carded a second successive 68 which could have been even better but for some frustration on the greens. 

He was leading by the halfway stage on his way to lifting the Claret Jug last year and will have to play catch-up this time – and you wouldn’t bet against him doing just that, just four off the lead.

Bud Cauley was alongside the world number one on 4 under 136 but Belgium’s Thomas Detry, Italy’s 2018 champion Francesco Molinari, at the same mark, and South Korea’s Si Woo-Kim, a shot better off after five birdies down a brilliant back nine, ensured there was a global feel to the challeng.

Fleetwood’s charge

As the shadows grew longer, Fleetwood made his move.

The home favourite was one-under-par stood on the 14th tee and in need of a spark.

A birdie there provided it, and he followed up with two more as the roars grew louder. 

When he pinned his approach within 15 feet at the last, the grandstands at 18 dared to dream of a cherry on the top. He had to settle for par but is nicely poised at four-under.

MacIntyre sparked a similar noise when he eagled the 17th to move to five-under.

A bogey at the last checked his momentum but the Scot hailed a ‘great round’ and is confident of pushing hard over his final two rounds.

Wallace flew out the traps with three birdies in his first six holes, taking advantage of benign early morning conditions, and finished with a 67. 

Fitzpatrick carded the same score and sits alongside Fleetwood as the highest-placed Englishmen at the halfway stage.

Rory McIlroy improved, a 3 under-par 67 taking him into the red on 1 under 139, but his playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick missed the cut on four-over. 

Justin Rose (+3) and Aaron Rai (+2) were other home favourites who made an early exit.

Also missing from the weekend’s cards will be all 10 amateurs. Mason Howell, who finished 2 over, was the best-placed but as in 2025, there will be no Silver Medal handed out. (courtesy theopen.com)

Also read: Links rookie Jackson Suber leads the way at Royal Birkdale