By admin 
One of the unique things about the British Open is the ability for absolutely wild things to happen across the pond while you’re blissfully unaware amid comfortable slumber. Of all the events to discover upon waking up, Lucas Herbert carving up Royal Birkdale to take a sizable lead into the afternoon wave on Friday is one that never, ever would have come to mind. Herbert matching the previous record for best 18-hole score at the venerable major is even more stunning. And yet here we are.
Those who are not locked into Ripper GC action on the LIV circuit have not seen much of the Australian-born player lately. He struggled to a missed cut at the U.S. Open last month and the British Open last season, though did play to a 43rd-place finish at the 2024 PGA Championship. All told the 37-year-old has racked up seven victories across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia and LIV Golf. Diehards will know that he’s capable of catching fire and looking like one of the best players in the world.
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Yet nothing would prepare someone for grabbing a cup of coffee and learning that Herbert tied a record for lowest round of golf in a major. His eight-under 62 could have been even better had he capitalized on either of the two par-fives on the back nine.
Herbert’s final putt
Look, it is very hard to nitpick when someone almost does something never done before and posts an absurd 28 on the front nine. But sadly, one of things everyone will remember is his inability to convert a short putt on No. 18 that would have set a record across all majors.
While that’s the headline, Herbert now has himself in pole position to become one of the more improbable major winners in recent memory. People are feverishly searching for information about his unique-looking caddy. Not a single person alive could have predicted this turn of events. So there’s no point in predicting what comes next.
Heck, what if he does it again?
It’s entirely possible considering Sam Burns just closed his day by holing out from a bunker for his own 62.
It was a nice half-hour in the sun for Herbert to have alone.