Lucas Herbert storms to British Open lead as he misses out on history with heartbreaking finish

SOUTHPORT, England — There was so much red on Lucas Herbert’s scorecard Friday it looked like it was bleeding during his British Open second round at Royal Birkdale.The 30-year-old Aussie, who plays on LIV Golf, looked unstoppable in a mad pursuit to break the major championship record of 62 for lowest score ever.He was in perfect position to do so at 9-under-par for the day and poised to shoot at least a 61 as he stood on the par-5 17th tee.But alas, Herbert would fall short and the record would remain at 62 as he made a disappointing par on 17 and then bogey the 18th to finish with 8-under-par 62.Herbert missed a four-foot par put on the 18th that would have give him the record alone at 61.In the end, all Herbert was able to do was join the list of players who’d carded 62s in majors.He joined Branden Grace in the 2017 British Open, Rickie Fowler and Scottie Scheffler in the 2023 U.S.

Open and Xander Schauffele and Shane Lowry in the 2024 PGA Championship.Herbert was in great position to get to 10-under when he piped his tee shot to the middle of the fairway on the 573-yard par-5 17th hole.He had only 201 yards to the green but pulled his approach shot way left.The errant shot left him with a blind chip over a dusty mound for his third shot, and he pulled it off brilliantly, leaving himself a 10-foot birdie putt.But he slid his birdie attempt to the left of the cup and settled for par.On 18, a 496-yard par-4 that Cam Young on Thursday described as one of the toughest holes he’s played as a professional, Herbert sent his tee shot well right, leaving himself with 173 yards to the flag.He hit 9-iron short of the green, left his first putt four feet short and then missed that one, taking massive wind out of his marvelous round.It all left him two shots clear of Jackson Suber for the lead at that moment.After shooting an uneventful even-par 70 on Thursday, Herbert went on a birdie rampage early in Friday’s round getting four of the first five holes en route ...