Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns both equalled the best score in men's major history during the second round of The Open, with the former ending Friday with a two-shot lead.

Having made par with a first round of 70 on Thursday, Herbert started his second day at Royal Birkdale at risk of missing the cut if things went poorly.

Instead, the Australian stormed into the lead at the tournament's halfway stage with a phenomenal eight-under score of 62, and things could have been even better.

Herbert had a chance to card a historic 61 on the 18th hole. Four players have previously achieved a score of 62 at a men's major without any of them carding a 61 – Branden Grace at the 2017 Open, Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler at the 2023 U.S. Open, then Schauffele and Shane Lowry at the 2024 PGA Championship. 

However, Herbert saw his five-foot par putt slide past the hole, forcing him to settle for a share of the record, rather than the outright mark.

"It was very cool to experience that, with all the nerves coming down the stretch," Herbert told Sky Sports afterwards. 

"I felt the energy. Everyone wanted it to happen, and I felt like I let everyone down, as everyone wanted to be part of watching that!

"Between shots, I was able to take stock and reflect on this experience, which I'll be able to remember for the rest of my life. 

"At 17, I was thinking of making an eagle there and a round of 59! But there were so many scenarios and situations happening."

A share of Open history for Lucas Herbert. pic.twitter.com/Y1e7wuTIW8

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2026

And Herbert's achievement was later matched by Burns, who was playing two groups behind the Australian and ended the day tied for fifth with Kim Si Woo at five under.

Six birdies down the back nine – including three on the last three holes – saw Burns storm into contention for his first major title, and he later told Sky Sports: "I caught myself by surprise. 

"I honestly feel like I played a pretty solid round of golf on Thursday [when he was three over] and then just had a terrible finish there on 16, 17, 18.

"I thought coming into the day, if I could get it to red numbers for the golf tournament, that would be a pretty good spot.

"I think the finish there, on the last three holes, was just a bonus."

Sam Burns follows Lucas Herbert in equalling the lowest round in Open history. pic.twitter.com/5p95ZMuOKu

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2026

Bryson DeChambeau wrapped up a sensational second day with back-to-back birdies to shoot a four-under 66 and looked like he would head into the third round outright second on the leaderboard.

The American, who missed the cut at each of the first three majors of the year, put himself in contention, but following the conclusion of his round, he was investigated by officials about whether he improved his lie by trampling grass in the rough on the fifth hole.

After a lengthy investigation, DeChambeau was handed a two-shot penalty, dropping him down to five-under in joint-fifth. On some footage, he seems to say he will not play on Saturday if he is handed a penalty, though he refused to comment when asked by reporters.

Rory Gerard, who made a strong finish, Jackson Suber and Cameron Young sit tied for second on six-under, while world number one Scottie Scheffler is two shots further back in joint-eighth.

Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, rebounded with a three-under 67 on Friday to make the cut after making it to the halfway stage at one-under, but Justin Rose will not be playing across the weekend.

He ended his round at three-over, unable to make up for his first-round 75, while Jordan Spieth, the last winner of The Open at Royal Birkdale in 2017, finished the second round with a score of 10-over – not helped by a quadruple bogey on the 17th – and he also missed the cut.