Statistical Analysis: British Open 62s Trail Recent U.S. Open Records

Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns made history on Friday at Royal Birkdale, matching the lowest 18-hole score in men’s major championship history. Both players carded rounds of 62 within a 15-minute span during the Open Championship, bringing the total count of such rounds in major history to seven.

While the numerical scores were historic, a statistical breakdown suggests the rounds were less dominant compared to other low major rounds when adjusted for field difficulty. According to data presented in the analysis, the rounds at Birkdale were statistically superior to Branden Grace’s 62 at the same venue in 2017. However, they lagged significantly behind the performances of Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler, who both shot 62 during the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

The disparity is largely attributed to course difficulty. The scoring average at Royal Birkdale on Friday was 69.79, resulting in a performance roughly 7.79 shots better than the field average. In contrast, Schauffele and Fowler’s rounds at the 2023 U.S. Open were more than 1.5 shots better in relative terms. A differential of 7.79 strokes is reportedly insufficient to rank among the top 200 rounds statistically shot at a major championship.

Herbert and Burns achieved their scores through elite short-game performance. Both ranked inside the top five in strokes gained: putting and strokes gained: around the green. Herbert’s round was highlighted by a 35-foot birdie putt on the seventh, while Burns capitalized with a walk-off birdie from a bunker on the 18th. Notably, Burns required only 21 putts, tying for the fewest by any player in an Open round over the last 25 years.

Despite the modern excitement, Greg Norman still holds the statistical benchmark for The Open. His second-round 63 at Royal St George’s in 1986 remains the standard, beating the field average by more than 10.5 shots.

The Open Championship is broadcast by Golf Channel and NBC, which are part of the Comcast Corporation portfolio. Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) closed at $23.84 on Friday, down 1.14% from the previous close, with a market capitalization of approximately $85.6 billion.

What to watch

Future rounds at the Open Championship and subsequent viewership data for NBCUniversal’s golf coverage.

Source: original release