2026 Open Championship: Herbert Leads After Record Round – Two 62s at Birkdale

Australia’s Lucas Herbert has taken the lead at the 2026 Open Championship. With a 62 (eight under Par) in the second round at Royal Birkdale, he moved to eight under par overall and, in doing so, set the record for the lowest round in the history of men’s majors. What’s remarkable is that, just a short time later, Sam Burns also matched that 62—two record-breaking rounds in a single day.

See the full leaderboard for the 2026 Open Championship here.

Herbert Leads at −8: The Record-Breaking Round at Royal Birkdale

Herbert teed off early and took advantage of the still-calm morning conditions. After twelve holes, he was at eight under Par. “The first twelve holes—I might never play twelve better holes in my life,” said the Australian. On the 18th green, he even had a chance at a 61 and the sole record, but narrowly missed the Putt.

“I’m absolutely disappointed and, at the same time, incredibly proud of today,” said Herbert. “It’s a pretty good problem to have—being disappointed because you shot a 62.” He took the missed putt on the final hole in stride: “I didn’t hit a bad putt; I just read it wrong.”

Despite the historic round, Herbert remains level-headed looking ahead to the weekend: “A great score out there tomorrow would be two or three under Par. I’ll just make the best of what lies ahead—then the scorecard will take care of itself.”

Find out here how much prize money is up for grabs at the 2026 Open Championship.

Two 62s in one day: Burns ties the major record

A few groups behind Herbert, Sam Burns also shot a 62 and moved up to six under Par—tied for second place. “I surprised myself,” Burns said. He didn’t learn about the record until after his round: “I had no idea until they told me up there.”

Burns, who had entered the tournament at the last minute and isn’t a fan of links golf, attributed his success to a change in mindset: “You just go with the flow a bit more here. You just hit the shot, and wherever the ball goes, it goes.”

Check out the tee times for the third round of the Open Championship here.

The chasing pack: Suber, Young, and Gerard at −6

Along with Burns, Cameron Young and Ryan Gerard are lurking in the mix at six under Par. The first-round leader, Jackson Suber, also remains in contention at −6, despite three consecutive Bogey shots. “In a major, it’s going to get tough at some point, no matter how well you play,” Suber said. “You have to stay patient and let the good golf come later.”

Behind them, the field remains tight: Bryson DeChambeau and Si Woo Kim are at −5, with contenders like Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, and Jon Rahm following at −4. “It’s really tight, isn’t it?” said Fleetwood, who is playing in front of his home crowd. “Four under Par was in the top five to seven all day.”

Highlights from the second round of the 2026 Open Championship

Rahm Receives Official Warning – Emotions Run High on the 15th Hole

Jon Rahm provided a side story. According to the official tournament bulletin, the Spaniard received an official warning for throwing a club after his tee shot on the 15th hole—a violation of The Open’s code of conduct.

“I was given a warning,” Rahm confirmed. It was simply a bad shot: “Everything was set up beautifully on the Tee… and then such a bad miss.” He regrets his reaction: “I shouldn’t have moments like the one on the 15th; I realize that.” He remained calm about the rest of the tournament: A repeat offense would result in a two-stroke penalty—“if it happens.”

Read the key facts about the four major tournaments in men’s golf here.

McIlroy Makes the Cut

Rory McIlroy improved with a 67 (three under Par) and stands at one under Par after Round 2. “The main goal today was to make the cut for the weekend—and I did,” said the six-time major champion. He was satisfied with his Driver but less so with his play on the greens: “I’ve been hitting the ball really well the last two days.” His goal for Saturday: “If I get off to a good start and get to four or five under Par, I’ll be right in the mix.”

Preview of the 2026 Open Championship: Tight Leaderboard Ahead of Moving Day

Heading into Moving Day at the 2026 Open Championship, Herbert leads at −8, with a tightly packed field hot on his heels. Whether the Australian can repeat his record-breaking round will be decided this weekend at Royal Birkdale—on a links course where conditions traditionally become significantly tougher in the afternoon.

“I didn’t come here to experience this tournament stress-free,” Herbert said. “That’s exactly what makes it so appealing.”