Branden Grace shoots Major record 62
South Africa’s Branden Grace has set a record-low score for a men’s Major by shooting 62 at Royal Birkdale.
Grace shot a bogey-free round with eight birdies to beat the previous best round of 63, set by Johnny Miller at the 1973 US Open.
The 29-year-old’s round started with a birdie and more followed on the fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth. He holed four successive birdies, 14th through 17th, in the back nine to break the record.
“It was a special day,” Grace told reporters.
“It was nice to start the day off with a birdie on the first, made a nice putt. It always gives you some momentum and some confidence heading into the round. And then I just played flawless golf. I think I missed two fairways or two greens the whole day. The putter was hot. I missed a couple of shortish ones, but made a couple of bombs, which was nice. I was really concentrating getting myself back into this tournament, and giving myself a chance tomorrow.
“I feel I’m playing well. And I just want to get out there again tomorrow and try to do something similar, just play some good golf. And obviously it makes me feel a lot better after the score I shot today.”
Grace’s 62 puts him in fifth place at the close of play on day three, seven points behind leader Jordan Spieth.