Lucas Herbert has quickly had to reset his history-making dream, ready to push for glory as halfway leader in the 154th British Open after the agony and ecstasy of his record-equalling major championship low round at Royal Birkdale.

The Australian LIV Golf star was "absolutely disappointed" at missing the five-foot putt that would have secured him the first 61 ever shot in a men's major but also "very proud" of a landmark eight-under par 62 that's left him two shots clear going into the weekend.

But after his astonishing morning round, which was, extraordinarily, equalled minutes later by Sam Burns' own 62, the 30-year-old Victorian was already having to quickly regroup and think about a potentially life-changing weekend on the famous Lancashire links.

"It's two worlds apart, to have dreams and then to have even a glimpse of them coming to reality. I have dreams of winning the Open Championship for sure — and I'm in a great position to do that," said Herbert. 

"I would love to tick off more than shooting 62 and, yeah, I've got a great opportunity; I'm looking forward to getting after it on the weekend."

Herbert conjured up the round of his life on a glorious Friday, first ticking off the lowest nine-hole score in Open history by turning in 28 at six under and going on to add three more birdies after the turn.

But needing to par the 18th for the all-time record low round in a major of 61, he finally blinked, hitting a wayward drive and then missing a short one.

His 62 equalled the mark set previously five times in a major championship round - Branden Grace at the Brikdale Open in 2017, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele in the 2023 US Open, and Schauffele and Shane Lowry at the 2024 PGA.

His eight-under total put him two shots clear of overnight leader Jackson Suber (69) and fellow American Cameron Young, who shot 67. Burns and former champion Francesco Molinari (68) were on five-under.

Self-confessed golf "nerd" Herbert reckoned he knew after three-straight birdies in the first three holes holes that he was in line to challenge for the record.

And he was adamant he didn't flinch with that missed final putt. "I can at least sleep easy tonight knowing I didn't hit a bad putt, I just misread it," he insisted.

"But I felt like I'd kind of let everyone down a little bit there on the last miss because it just felt like everyone wanted to be a part of watching that bit of history.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Those first 12 holes, I don't know if I've played golf that well before, so it was very, very cool to experience that."

Herbert had holed a 16ft birdie putt for openers, a 15-footer at the second and a five-footer at the third, before he found the greenside with a booming drive at the 326-yard fifth and then almost chipped in for an eagle.

He holed a 36ft "bonus" putt at the seventh and holed from the fringe from 25 feet to make it six birdies in nine holes, equalling the Open nine-hole record set at Birkdale by Englishman Denis Durnian in 1983.

Fearlessly, the Australian, with his trusty ZZ-Top bearded caddie Nick Pugh cajoling alongside, kept on the attack, holing a 10-footer at the 11th, a 13-footer at the next and a seven-footer on the 16th, that ninth birdie leaving him needing two more for the first 59 ever in a major. Alas, that's when his two fives came.

Unlike Herbert, Burns hadn't a clue about the record and was surprised to learn he'd joined the elite '62' club after he'd chipped in at the 18th. 

For Herbert, there was the chance afterwards of a long afternoon rest, watching his pursuers all struggling to make a big impression on his lead as the sea breezes kicked up.

Of the big guns, Bryson DeChambeau was going well at five-under with five to play, while world No.1 Scottie Scheffler was three-under after 12 and Jon Rahm on the same score after 11. Rory McIlroy had a lot of work to do at one under after his 67.

Among Herbert's Australian teammates, Melburnian Cameron John was a surprise as he sat inside the top-20 at three under after his 67, while Adam Scott, the day after his 46th birthday, warned he couldn't be ruled out at two under after a 66.