Lucas Herbert Joins Historic 28 At 2026 Open

Record‑Breaking Nine‑Hole Performance

A 30‑year‑old Australian became only the second player to post a 28‑score over nine holes in the history of the Open Championship. He opened with three consecutive birdies and added three more in the next six holes, finishing his front stretch with a 6‑under 28 at Royal Birkdale. The feat pushes him to the top of the leaderboard as the field continues at the 2026 tournament. With 154 Opens played, this rare achievement highlights how infrequently such a low score appears.

Herbert’s front‑nine display matches Denis Durnian’s 28, which also occurred on the opening nine at Royal Birkdale when the course played to a par‑34 layout. Durnian later posted a 2‑over 36 on the back nine, ending the round with a 66. The tie for the lowest nine‑hole score underscores how exceptional both performances are in a major that dates back to 1860.

Historical Context of Low Scores

Five golfers have recorded a 62‑score in a major championship, the first of which came at Royal Birkdale in 2017. That day Branden Grace shot a 62, breaking out of the turn with a 29 and then adding three birdies on the closing nine. Grace’s round remains the most recent time a player has carded a sub‑par total under 63 at an Open.

Comparing Grace’s full‑round achievement to Herbert’s nine‑hole exploit shows how different types of low scores can capture attention. While a 62 reflects overall mastery, a 28 signals blistering start‑hole performance that can instantly shift momentum. Both moments are etched in the contest’s record books as benchmarks of scoring excellence.

What This Means for the 2026 Open

Herbert’s front‑nine assault puts him in a commanding position and forces the field to adjust its strategy early. The 28‑score not only sets a high bar for the remainder of the tournament but also raises expectations for other contenders looking to mount a comeback. As the competition moves to the back nine, the curiosity will be whether any player can match or surpass the historic nine‑hole standard. This performance will likely be referenced in future analyses of Open Championship scoring trends.