I don't agree with it, this fires me up - Bryson DeChambeau on his two-stroke penalty at The Open

The two-time US Open champion, who birdied the final two holes, fell from one shot behind Herbert to three off the pace at the halfway stage after being taken out to the fifth hole by rules officials.

Grant Moir, The R&A’s Head of Rules, and Mark Litton, a DP World Tour rules official, spent a fair amount of time explaining to DeChambeau why they felt he’d infringed the rules after carving his tee shot into heavy rough.

It was clear that DeChambeau didn’t agree with what they were saying, but, after heading back to the recorder’s area, where The R&A CEO Mark Darbon joined the debate, the LIV Golf player accepted the penalty as his score was changed from a 66 to a 68.

“Bryson has been penalised two strokes for inadvertently improving the area of his intended swing, so intended backswing on the 5th hole when he was playing his second shot,” said Fife man Moir.

Quoting Rule 8.1, he continued: “A player is allowed to fairly take their stance by taking reasonable actions to get to the ball and take a stance, if in some situations that improves the condition affecting the stroke, but when doing so, the player must take the least intrusive course of action to deal with the particular situation and is not entitled to a normal stance or swing. I would reiterate this rule applies even when there's no intention to improve the area, as was the case with Bryson.”

DeChambeau didn’t comment on the outcome as he made his way to the practice area, where he eventually left in the dark at 10.29pm. Shortly afterwards, he posted on social media. “Obviously disappointed with the ruling,” he said. “I don’t agree with it, but it is what it is. This fires me up. Onto the weekend. Let’s get it.”

Earlier, the 62s shot by both Herbert and Burns on a low-scoring day left different tastes in the mouth. Herbert’s record-equalling feat, which came at a happy hunting ground for Australian golfers - Peter Thomson won twice here and Ian Baker Finch as well - was tinged with disappointment. Agonisingly, he missed a six-foot par putt at the 18th to become a history-maker on his own after feeling something special could be on the cards as early as the third hole. “I’m a golf nerd, so I know all the numbers, all the records, everything like that,” he admitted, smiling, in the Media Centre afterwards.

In contrast, Burns produced his matching eight-under-par salvo out of the blue, finishing with three straight birdies, including a hole out from a bunker at the last, to steal some of Herbert’s thunder on the Lancashire coast after the Antipodean’s effort had earned him the halfway lead on eight under.

The duo took the number of 62s recorded in men’s majors to seven. South African Branden Grace had been the only player to previously sign for that score in the Claret Jug event, having done so at the same venue in 2017 and being the first to do so.

Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler then posted matching 62s in the 2023 US Open at Los Angeles Country Club before Schauffele achieved the feat again the following year in the PGA Championship at Valhalla, where he was matched on that occasion by Shane Lowry.

Herbert admitted that he felt “super disappointed” about missing out but, at the same time, said it was a “pretty cool list” to now be part of and also spoke about how he felt “proud” to have given himself an opportunity to become the first player to post 61 in the game’s marquee events.

He’s now aiming to claim an even bigger prize this weekend. “I shot 64 to kick off the LIV Virginia event about two months ago and then backed it up with 63,” he declared. “I've got that to draw off, but, you're absolutely right, it's very hard. I think everyone's expectations go through the roof as soon as you shoot a round like that.

“Just got to try and keep it real tomorrow. A great score out there is two or three under. There's seven people that have shot 62 in the history of major championships. I'm probably a little optimistic if I think I'm going to keep adding my name to that list every day.”

Burns, who finished runner-up to Wyndham Clark in last month’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills, secured his place in the record books with a bogey-free card. “I caught myself by surprise,” he admitted, having finished with three bogeys in his opening round but getting his revenge with a late second-day salvo.

Unlike Herbert, he was in the dark about what singing for a 62 - it left him on six under at the halfway stage - meant. “I had no idea until they told me - I didn't realise that was the case. Yeah, I'm very pleased with it,” he admitted, having initially had no intention of being here after his second child - girl Belle - was born early last week but being encouraged to make the trip by his wife, Caroline.

At the end of a dramatic sun-kissed day, Herbert leads by two shots from first-round pacesetter Jackson Suber, 2022 runner-up Cameron Young and American Ryan Gerard. Burns sits ahead of a group that includes defending champion Scottie Scheffler, hometown hero Tommy Fleetwood, Bob MacIntyre and Jon Rahm, who was issued an official warning for throwing a club on the 15th tee under the event’s serious misconduct policy.

Big-name casualties included world No 3 Matthew Fitzpatrick, US Open champion Wyndham Clark, PGA winner Aaron Rai, newly-crowned Genesis Scottish Open champion Tom Kim and 2017 Birkdale winner Jordan Spieth, who took a calamitous 9 at the 17th.