Herbert leads golf at the British Open, matching the record low at a Major | Golf News

Australian golfer Herbert finished the second round of the British Open two shots off the lead on eight.

Australia’s Lucas Herbert came within five minutes of becoming the first golfer to shoot 61 in a men’s major as he doubled the lead at the British Open with a second-round 62 that equaled Sam Burns at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

Herbert, 30, finished Friday with an eight-over lead and would have gone out on Saturday with American Bryson DeChambeau, who finished seventh after an impressive 66.

Only five rounds of 62 had ever been completed at the ⁠—the men’s major, but two came within minutes on the sun-baked course as Herbert and American Burns made it one of the best scoring days in Open Championship history.

But there was late drama when the two-time US Open champion was hit with a two-stroke penalty by the R&A after he was adjudged to have inadvertently corrected his intended swing by stepping on the long grass after finding trouble on the fifth.

DeChambeau was seen having a heated exchange with law enforcement officials as he was returned to the car at the scene where his ball ended up in the tall grass.

After that, he left the cabin and went to a place where he did not speak to the media except to ask, “Do you have a good night?”

Three Americans, first baseman Jackson Suber, Cameron Young and Ryan Gerard, were Herbert’s biggest rivals in six years.

Teammate Burns was also a stroke back along with Kim Si-woo of South Korea and DeChambeau. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, trying to become the first man since Ireland’s Padraig Harrington in 2008 to retain the Claret Jug, struggled, but a second consecutive 68 left him lurking in the big pack on four under.

Rory McIlroy, the world number two from Northern Ireland, bidding for his second Open title, made sure he was there for the weekend as his three-under 67 left him seven shots short.

Herbert looked downcast as he shook hands with his teammates on the 18th despite matching 62s with Branden Grace at the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, Rickie Fowler ⁠ and Xander Schauffele at the 2023 US Open, and Schauffele and Shane Lowry at the 2024 PGA Championship.

“It was really fun, those first 12 holes, I don’t think I’ve ever played golf before,” said Herbert, who plays part of LIV Golf.

“There was a lot of noise out there, and it felt like everyone wanted it to happen. I felt like I was going to miss everyone so I wouldn’t miss the final.”