Royal Birkdale does not merely host golf tournaments; it devours composure and spits out legends. If Thursday’s early practice reviews warned of a course that was "brown and FIRM"—where players like Michael Kim could casually launch a 4-iron 290 yards downwind—Friday’s second round turned that fiery canvas into an absolute pressure cooker. By evening, the 154th Open Championship leaderboard had been blown wide open by historic scoring, brutal links architecture, and a piece of post-round officiating that left the grounds humming with disbelief.
The day's most blistering golf belonged to Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns, who each etched their names into the history books by matching the major championship scoring record with rounds of 62. Herbert blazed through Royal Birkdale’s par-70 layout, though he walked off the 18th with a tinge of frustration after missing a five-foot par putt that would have stood alone as the lowest score in major history. Just two groups later, American Sam Burns provided the stylistic counterweight, capping an astonishing charge with a birdie-birdie-birdie finish that culminated in a spectacular bunker shot holed directly on the 18th green. Remarkably, Branden Grace had set the original 62 benchmark at this very same venue back in 2017.
Yet, the tournament's most explosive talking point unfolded far away from the 18th cup. Bryson DeChambeau, who had just finished signing off on what he believed was a stellar 66 to reach seven under par, was suddenly recalled to the course by R&A officials while later groups were still finishing. Summoned back to the driveable par-four fifth hole—a 321-yard risk-reward trap that Rory McIlroy had earlier diagnosed as possessing a "bit of a penalty if you go for it and you miss"—DeChambeau found himself surrounded by tournament referees and television cameras.
The allegation was subtle but fatal to his position near the summit: officials claimed DeChambeau had trampled down high grass in the deep rough right of the pond while attempting to escape, thereby improving the area of his intended backswing and stance. R&A Executive Director Grant Moir later clarified the governing body's stance, noting that while they believed DeChambeau’s actions were accidental, the rulebook leaves no grey area regarding the least intrusive course of action. Following several minutes of animated, club-in-hand debate on the dunes, the two-time U.S. Open champion was hit with a two-stroke penalty, dropping his official second-round score from a 66 to a 68 and sliding him from seven under down to a share of five under par.
DeChambeau’s abrupt slide threw him three strokes behind leader Lucas Herbert (-8), while packing a chasing group featuring Sam Burns, Jackson Suber, Cameron Young, and Ryan Gerard tightly at the top. Meanwhile, European heavyweights Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm navigated the firm turf with steady rounds of 67 to sit four back at four under, joined by reigning champion Scottie Scheffler, who ground out a gutsy 68 despite ongoing struggles on the greens.
As the championship pivots toward the weekend, Royal Birkdale’s brutal combination of baked fairways, punishing pot bunkers, and sudden meteorological shifts ensures that no lead is safe. With the wind direction forecasted to flip from the east-northeast to a northwest gale over the weekend, surviving the seaside test will require more than raw distance. It will demand an iron-clad temperament capable of absorbing the chaotic swings of links golf.
Sources
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- independent.ie original
- heraldscotland.com original
- Nick Neumayer original
- golfchannel.com original
- Kailash Bhimji Vaviya Thu, Jun 25, 2026 · 4 min read original
- golfnewsnexus.com original
- ABC News original
