Sam Burns, the golfer who nearly sat out this entire Open Championship, just dropped a mind-blowing 62 at Royal Birkdale on Friday, tying the lowest round in major history. What's even wilder? It took nine years for someone to shoot the second 62 in Open Championship history, and then just *15 minutes* for Burns to hit the third. This isn't just about a low score; it's about a player who came to England under the most unexpected circumstances and absolutely lit up the course.
From Louisiana Chill To Links Thrill
Can you even believe this dude was originally a no-show for the Open? Burns had made up his mind: he was skipping the event because his second child was on the way. He openly said he doesn't even like links golf, and his best finish at an Open ever was a T-31. So, from the outside, it looked like the perfect major to miss. Even after his daughter, Belle, decided to show up on July 3 instead of her scheduled July 14, Burns was still happy staying put in Louisiana. It took a whole lot of conversation and some serious encouragement from his wife, who he called a "superhero," to convince him to make the mental shift and fly over. He made the choice just a week ago, basically a last-minute decision. Talk about a plot twist before the first tee.From Missed Cut To Major Record In One Day
Burns wasn't exactly tearing it up when the tournament started. Even though he'd been on a hot streak with four straight top-20s and a solo second at the U.S. Open recently, Thursday's round was a struggle, a three-over 73 that had him staring down a missed cut. But then Friday hit, and everything changed. He kicked off the day with a rock-solid front-nine 32, getting him back to one over for the tournament. Then the real fireworks started: three birdies in his next four holes instantly put him on the leaderboard. He wasn't done, though, adding three more birdies to close out his round, including a ridiculous hole-out from the bunker on 18. We're talking brilliant shots all day, like a 260-yard 3-iron to gimme distance on 13, a 22-foot birdie putt on 11, and a pinpoint wedge on 10. He told reporters he "caught myself by surprise," honestly feeling like he played a "pretty solid round" yesterday, despite a "terrible finish," and that his amazing finish was "just a bonus." The craziest part? He didn't even know he'd tied a major record, or what the record was, until an official told him. So, what happens next? After a round like that, where the guy literally just wanted to chill with his newborn, Sam Burns is officially in the mix. He's absolutely contending at the Open, and you just know he's going to ride this wave. It's going to be wild to see what he does for the rest of the weekend!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.