Herbert and Burns share Open lead after record-breaking round
Australian Lucas Herbert and American Sam Burns card 62 to tie major round record, while Bryson DeChambeau falls three shots behind after R&A ruling.
Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns have shared the lead at the 154th Open Championship after both carding a round of 62, tying the record-low score for a major tournament round. The third round, traditionally referred to as Moving Day, has seen the Australian and American golfer set a new benchmark for a single round at a major championship.
Bryson DeChambeau, who entered the day one stroke behind the leaders, dropped three shots from the pace after receiving a two-stroke penalty. R&A officials determined that DeChambeau had improved the area for his backswing in the long grass on the par-four fifth hole. The ruling moved DeChambeau to five under par, leaving him three shots off the lead.
Other contenders faced their own challenges in the middle round. Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Tommy Fleetwood trail Herbert by four shots as they seek to apply pressure on the final day. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox made a strong early move, reaching five under par with five birdies in his opening eight holes.
DeChambeau is expected to return to Royal Birkdale around 1:30 pm for a 3:30 pm tee time. The penalty was applied following extensive discussion behind closed doors, with officials citing the improvement of his lie in the long grass as the basis for the ruling.
Herbert and Jackson Suber are scheduled to tee off in the final group at 10:50 ET on Saturday. The outcome of the third round remains pivotal, with the field looking to close the gap on the leaders as the tournament heads into the weekend.
