Ryan Fox, a New Zealander, carded a 62 in the third round of the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, matching the lowest round ever in a men's major championship. He became the third player in 24 hours to achieve the feat, after two others had shot 62 on Friday. The score of 62—eight under par—is golf's magic number: it is the lowest possible round on a par-70 course without a double bogey or worse, and it has been accomplished only a handful of times in the history of the four major championships.
Fox's round was near-flawless. He later said, "Being picky, I'd want a couple of drives back today maybe, but outside of that, I feel like I didn't really miss a shot. I would have taken 62 on a Saturday, that's for sure." He played alongside Xander Schauffele, the only man to have posted two 62s in majors. The round lifted Fox into the final group for Sunday, tied for the lead at that point, before American Sam Burns surpassed him with a 65 to reach 10 under par.
“Explains the significance of shooting 62 in a major at The Open, with history and context.”
The background to this scoring spree is the nature of links golf at Royal Birkdale. The course, running fast with little wind, was relatively defenceless. After two 62s on Friday, the R&A tried to protect it by selecting tough pin positions, but Fox still managed the record. He joked to Schauffele that "the R&A have got it in for us after the two 62s yesterday. Then I go and do it today. I think they're going to find a few slopes and put them on top of bunkers tomorrow for us."
For UK readers, the Open is the pinnacle of British golf, held at historic links courses like Royal Birkdale. A 62 is a rare and thrilling event—it had been achieved only six times in men's major history before this week. The fact that three players did it in two days at the same tournament is extraordinary. It shows how vulnerable a great links can become when weather conditions are benign, and it raises questions about whether course set-ups have become too easy for modern professionals.
Q: What is a 62 in golf? A 62 is a score of eight under par on a par-70 course. In major championships, it is the lowest round ever recorded. The first 62 in a men's major was shot by Branden Grace at the 2017 Open, and only a handful of others have matched it since.
Q: Why is 62 so rare in majors? Majors are played on the toughest courses, with thick rough, firm greens, and difficult pin positions. Shooting 62 requires near-perfect ball-striking and putting, with no mistakes. The pressure of a major also makes it harder to sustain such a low score.
Q: How did Royal Birkdale become vulnerable to record scores? The course was running fast and there was little wind, which normally defends links courses. After two 62s on Friday, the R&A attempted to toughen the course with challenging pin positions, but Fox still managed the record. The benign conditions allowed players to attack pins.
What happens next: The final round on Sunday will determine whether anyone can catch Sam Burns, who leads at 10 under. The R&A may set even more severe pin positions to protect the course. Fox and the other contenders will try to maintain their form. The record 62 may be threatened again if conditions stay calm.