Branden Grace Shoots First Ever 62 In A Major

The South African had 8 birdies and 10 pars on Saturday at Royal Birkdale

Branden Grace Shoots First Ever 62 In A Major

The South African shot 62 at Royal Birkdale in the Open 2017 to become the first man ever to shoot 62 in a major championship

Branden Grace Shoots First Ever 62 In A Major

Branden Grace enters his name into the history books at the Open after becoming the first man to ever shoot a 62 in a major championship.

The South African was out in 29 and back in 33 for an eight under par round at Royal Birkdale.

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He went from four over at the start of the day to four under with 18 to play.

After parring 10, 11, 12 and 13, he then birdied the par-3 14th, lipped out for birdie on the par-5 15th, and made a long birdie putt on the 16th.

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Standing on the par-5 17th tee needing a birdie and a par on the final two holes, he found the fairway with his drive and then struck a beautiful utility directly over the pin to 20 ft, he would tap in for birdie.

He was over the back of the 18th in two, but made a sublime two-putt from off the green to write his name in history.

Branden Grace Shoots First Ever 62 In A Major

Grace hits into the 16th, one of his eight birdies. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Recent 63s in the Open:

Last year at the 2016 Open at Troon, Phil Mickelson famously lipped out on the 18th to shoot 62.

But the most famous 63 at Troon last year was Henrik Stenson's stunning final round, where he made 10 birdies in a round of eight under.

Rory McIlroy shot the number in 2010 at St Andrews, but then took an 80 the following morning in bad weather. He recovered to finish 3rd behind Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen.

That was the first 63 in an Open since Payne Stewart's 63 in the 1993 Open final round at Royal St George's.

Other notable names to shoot 63 in the Open include:

Paul Broadhurst, 1990 St Andrews 3rd round

Nick Faldo, 1993 Royal St George's 2nd round

Greg Norman, 1986 Turnberry 2nd round

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV