Lucas Herbert misses record round at The Open with closing bogey

Lucas Herbert came within inches of making history at The 2026 Open Championship, but a missed five-foot putt on the 18th hole left him with a second-round score of 62 — one shot shy of the lowest round ever recorded in a men's major.

The Australian was in imperious form at Royal Birkdale, carding nine birdies and no bogeys through 17 holes. Standing on the 18th tee, he needed a par to shoot 61, which would have been the first sub-62 round in major championship history. However, his approach left him a testing putt, and he pulled it wide to bogey the hole.

Missed opportunity

Had Herbert holed the putt, he would have broken the existing major record of 62, held jointly by several players including Branden Grace (2017 Open) and Rickie Fowler (2023 U.S. Open). Instead, he matched that mark but will rue the missed chance to stand alone.

• Herbert's 62 ties the lowest round in men's major history
• He was bogey-free until the 18th hole
• The 2026 Open is being held at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England
• The previous record of 62 was first set by Branden Grace in 2017

Herbert's round lifted him up the leaderboard, but the closing hiccup may prove costly. He will need to maintain that level over the weekend to contend for the Claret Jug at a venue known for its challenging links layout.