published: Jul 17, 2026

What is the lowest round in a golf major?

Matt Chivers

Here is a list of the players to shoot the best ever scores in the men’s and women’s majors

Lucas Herbert of Australia tees off on the first hole during Day One of the The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 16, 2026 in Southport, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Golf majors often provide the sternest tests and the biggest challenges to identify the best player in the field.

You are never going far wrong when you’re breaking 70 in a major championship, but some players have gone extremely low in recent years – even flirting with the daunting concept of breaking 60.

A few players have carded a 59 (or even lower!) on the various main tours, but we must say that no one has got close to golf’s magic number in the majors.

Nonetheless, let’s get started with breaking down the lowest rounds in major golf history.

**Lucas Herbert and his caddie during Day Two of The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale | Source: Stuart Kerr/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)**

Who are the golfers to shoot 62 in a major?

Branden Grace broke the record for the lowest round in a men’s major in 2017 at Royal Birkdale. The South African wrote himself into the history books during the third round in benign conditions, sure, but you’ve still got to put the ball in the hole – and Grace needed just 62 blows to get around the Southport links.

Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler joined him when going low at the 2023 US Open at Los Angeles Country Club. Schauffele did it yet again with a blistering display in the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship.

Just two days later, Shane Lowry would join the group with a lovely 62 to put himself in contention for the victory.

At the 2026 Open Championship, Lucas Herbert stood on the brink of history. He missed a short putt on the final hole in round two at Birkdale to shoot a 61. He settled for a 62. A few minutes later, Sam Burns also carded a 62. So, that makes seven players to have shot 62 in a men’s major event.

Here is also a list of players to have at least shot 63 in a men’s major championship:

– Johnny Miller (1973 US Open, Oakmont)
– Bruce Crampton (1975 PGA Championship, Firestone)
– Mark Hayes (1977 Open Championship, Turnberry)
– Jack Nicklaus (1980 US Open, Baltusrol)
– Tom Weiskopf (1980 US Open, Baltusrol)
– Isao Aoki (1980 Open Championship, Muirfield)
– Raymond Floyd (1982 PGA Championship, Southern Hills)
– Patty Sheehan (1984 Women’s PGA Championship, Jack Nicklaus SC)
– Gary Player (1984 PGA Championship, Shoal Creek)
– Nick Price (1986 Masters, Augusta National)
– Greg Norman (1986 Open Championship, Turnberry)
– Paul Broadhurst (1990 Open Championship, St Andrews)
– Jodie Mudd (1991 Open Championship, Royal Birkdale)
– Nick Faldo (1993 Open Championship, Royal St George’s)
– Payne Stewart (1993 Open Championship, Royal St George’s)
– Vijay Singh (1993 PGA Championship, Inverness)
– Helen Alfredsson (1994 US Women’s Open, Indianwood)
– Michael Bradley (1995 PGA Championship, Riviera)
– Brad Faxon (1995 PGA Championship, Riviera)
– Greg Norman (1996 Masters, Augusta National)
– Meg Mallon (1999 Women’s PGA Championship, DuPont CC)
– Jose Maria Olazabal (2000 PGA Championship, Valhalla)
– Mark O’Meara (2001 PGA Championship, Atlanta Athletic Club)
– Vijay Singh (2003 US Open, Olympia Fields)
– Thomas Bjorn (2005 PGA Championship, Baltusrol)
– Tiger Woods (2007 PGA Championship, Southern Hills)
– Rory McIlroy (2010 Open Championship, St Andrews)
– Steve Stricker (2011 PGA Championship, Atlanta Athletic Club)
– Jason Dufner (2013 PGA Championship, Oak Hill)
– Hiroshi Iwata (2015 PGA Championship, Whistling Straits)
– Phil Mickelson (2016 Open Championship, Royal Troon)
– Henrik Stenson (2016 Open Championship, Royal Troon)
– Robert Streb (2016 PGA Championship, Baltusrol)
– Justin Thomas (2017 US Open, Erin Hills)
– Haotong Li (2017 Open Championship, Royal Birkdale)
– Tommy Fleetwood (2018 US Open, Shinnecock Hills)
– Brooks Koepka (2018 PGA Championship, Bellerive)
– Charl Schwartzel (2018 PGA Championship, Bellerive)
– Brooks Koepka (2019 PGA Championship, Bethpage)
– Shane Lowry (2019 Open Championship, Royal Portrush)
– Bubba Watson (2022 PGA Championship, Southern Hills)
– Ayaka Furue (2022 Evian Championship, Evian Resort)
– Tommy Fleetwood (2023 US Open, LACC)
– Jon Rahm (2023 Open Championship, Royal Liverpool)

In the women’s game, Haeran Ryu holds the record for the lowest round when she shot a 60 at the Evian Championship in 2026. Hyo-Joo Kim, Lee Jeong-eun and Leona Maguire had all scored 61s before that. Minea Blomqvist, Mirim Lee and Lorena Ochoa had all shot a 62 as well.

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About the author

Matt Chivers

Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.

Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.

Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.

Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as the Masters, The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to many of the biggest names in the sport.

Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.

What’s in Matt’s bag: Cleveland HiBore XL Driver driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, Benross BR-Pro irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.

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