Lucas Herbert’s Near-Record Round at the British Open

SOUTHPORT, England — On Friday, Lucas Herbert seemed to have a scorecard splattered with red during his second round at the British Open, almost as if he were bleeding.

The 30-year-old Australian, representing LIV Golf, seemed like he was on the verge of setting a new record for the lowest score ever recorded in a major championship—62 points.

At one point, he was cruising at 9 under, looking well-positioned to possibly shoot a 61 as he made his way to the par-5 17th tee.

But, things didn’t turn out as planned. Herbert managed only a par on the 17th and sadly bogeyed the 18th. He concluded his round with an 8-under 62, which meant that his hope of setting a remarkable record remained just out of reach.

He even missed a short 4-foot par putt on the final hole, missing out on a chance to break that record.

Instead, he settled for joining a list of golfers who have achieved a 62 in major championships, aligning with names like Branden Grace from the 2017 British Open, and Scottie Scheffler among others from recent tournaments.

Herbert’s drive on the lengthy par-5 17th was solid, landing him in the middle of the fairway and only about 201 yards from the green. Unfortunately, his approach shot veered left.

After a tricky blind chip over a mound, he managed to sink a 10-foot birdie putt. Yet, his birdie attempt on the same hole slid to the left of the cup, forcing him to settle for a par.

As he approached the challenging par-4 18th, which Cam Young had previously described as one of the tougher holes, Herbert hit his tee shot to the right. This left him with 173 yards to the pin.

His 9-iron shot didn’t find the green, and a 4-foot putt that followed—compounded by a missed chance—was disheartening, dampening what could have been an incredible performance.

At that point, he was still leading by two strokes over Jackson Suber.

Herbert began the round with a steady start, securing four birdies within the first five holes, eventually finishing the front nine with a remarkable 6-under 28.

Further birdies on the 11th, 12th, and 16th holes propelled him to 9 under, but as he reached the 17th tee, he couldn’t seize that moment to capitalize on his excellent play.

This marked Herbert’s 18th major tournament, with his previous best finishing tied for 13th at the 2022 PGA Championship.

He entered this competition after a second-place finish at the New Zealand Open, part of the Open Qualifying Series.

Having participated in five British Opens, his last showing was a tie for 15th in 2022, and he came into this round averaging around 71.57, with a personal low of 67 in the British Open.

Herbert, who will be joining LIV in 2024 and playing at Ripper GC, is currently in fifth position on this year’s LIV golf points standings, boasting a win in one out of nine tournaments and making the top 10 five times.

Cam Smith, Herbert’s fellow Aussie and teammate, commented on Herbert’s work ethic and continual improvement. “He was already really good when he joined us a few years ago, and it’s impressive to see him getting stronger,” Smith remarked. He added that with continued practice, Herbert would become even more proficient with his putting and iron shots going forward.