A Record-Breaking Start
Lucas Herbert has etched his name into the annals of golf history at the 2026 Open Championship. Demonstrating remarkable precision at Royal Birkdale, the 30-year-old Australian delivered a performance that placed him firmly in contention for the Claret Jug.
Herbert ignited his round with a barrage of scoring, carding birdies on his first three holes. He maintained that momentum throughout the front nine, adding three additional birdies to finish with a staggering 6-under 28. This achievement marks only the second time in the 154-year history of The Open that a player has completed nine holes in just 28 strokes.
Joining an Elite Legacy
By hitting the 28-stroke milestone, Herbert equals a record previously held solely by Denis Durnian. Interestingly, Durnian's historic front-nine performance also occurred at Royal Birkdale back in 1983. While Durnian eventually finished his round with a 66, Herbert’s surge has set a new benchmark for consistency at this iconic links course.
Chasing Major Records
The pursuit of a record-low score at a major championship often centers on the elusive 62. Royal Birkdale is no stranger to such heroics; it was here in 2017 that Branden Grace became the first player to card a 62 in a major tournament. Reflecting on the difficulty of the course, Grace had previously surged with a 29 on the front nine before clinching his historic score.
Herbert’s performance nearly reached those heights. Despite a missed five-foot putt on the 18th hole resulting in his first bogey of the stretch, he concluded the round with a remarkable 62. His back-nine performance solidified his position on the leaderboard:
- Hole 10: Par (-6)
- Hole 11: Birdie (-7)
- Hole 12: Birdie (-8)
- Hole 13: Par (-8)
- Hole 14: Par (-8)
- Hole 15: Par (-8)
- Hole 16: Birdie (-9)
- Hole 17: Par (-9)
- Hole 18: Bogey (-8)