Ryan Fox etched his name into British Open history, firing off an eight-under 62 in Saturday’s third round at Royal Birkdale. He tied the major championship record for the lowest single-round score, a truly wild achievement. He’s not alone in that feat, though. Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns already dropped matching eight-under 62s in Friday’s second round. This makes it the first time *three* players have hit that unbelievable mark in the same major event. Fox finished Saturday sharing the lead with Herbert, so what kind of magic is in the air heading into Sunday?
Fox’s Saturday Surge Was Pure Fire
Ryan Fox showed us how you shoot an eight-under 62. He started his round by hitting seven straight threes, with five of those being under par on his first eight holes. He came out of the gate hot! He had a little stumble with a bogey on the par-4 13th, but like a true contender, he bounced back immediately. Fox hammered home three birdies on his next four holes to recover completely and make sure that 62 stuck. What a way to fight back! Now he’s right there, sharing the lead, and the pressure is absolutely cranking up.
The Elusive 62: More Than Just a Number
Hitting a 62 in a major championship is incredibly rare. Only seven players had achieved that feat eight times in men’s major history: Xander Schauffele (twice), Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler, and Shane Lowry are on that short list. But for three players, Fox, Herbert, and Burns, to all hit an eight-under 62 in the same British Open? That’s flat-out unprecedented. It’s a record within a record, showing how aggressive the play has been at Royal Birkdale. Here’s the kicker though: out of all those 62s in major history, only Fowler and Schauffele (twice) actually went on to win their respective tournaments. That’s the challenge Fox, Herbert, and Burns now face.
A Major Title Within Reach
For Ryan Fox, this isn’t about tying a record, it’s about the biggest win of his career. He’s still seeking his first major championship victory. His previous best finish at a major was tying for 19th at the 2025 U.S. Open. This season he missed the cut at the Masters, tied for 35th at the PGA Championship, and was 23rd at the U.S. Open. He’s had top-10 finishes at The Genesis Invitational and RBC Canadian Open, but this is The Open. If Fox can pull off the win at Royal Birkdale, he would become the first New Zealander since Bob Charles way back in 1963 to claim victory at this historic tournament.
The Open Championship wraps up Sunday in England, and everyone will be glued to their screens. Can Fox, Herbert, or Burns follow in Fowler and Schauffele’s winning footsteps? One of these guys could be making even more history by hoisting that trophy. Get ready, because Sunday is going to be absolutely electric.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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