A low round in a Major championship can often be crucial to any golfers hopes of lifting one of the big-four titles.
With the often-changing weather at a links course, it’s perhaps even more important in the Open Championship to go low when the conditions suit.
We have delved into the archives to find the lowest scores in Open Championship history.
Branden Grace (62 – eight-under-par) – 2017 – Royal Birkdale
The lowest round in a Major championship was carded in 2017, when Branden Grace carded a 62 in the third round at Royal Birkdale.
The South African, who has never won a Major, got off to a flying start with a birdie on the first hole and then picked up shots at holes 4, 5, 8 and 9 to go out in 30 shots.
Grace then fired three more birdies on the back nine, including a two at the par-three 14th, to eventually card a record-breaking, eight-under-par round of 62.
After shooting 70 and 74 over the first two days, the man from Pretoria was still seven shots behind leader Jordan Spieth going into the final round and finally finished tied-sixth.
Paul Broadhurst (63 – nine-under-par) – 1990 – St Andrews
No fewer than 12 players have carded a 63 at the Open Championship, so we have gone with those golfers who have scored the lowest score to par.
Paul Broadhurst makes the list following his nine-under-par round at the Old Course in 1990, with the Englishman having to qualify for the tournament.
After a front-nine 29, Broadhurst went on to move from -1 to -10 ahead of the final round, with the future Ryder Cup star eventually finishing T12 after a 74 on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy (63 – nine-under-par) – 2010 – St Andrews
Twenty years on, Rory McIlroy repeated the feat of Paul Broadhurst when he signed for a 63 following an impressive opening round on the Old Course.
Having led after round one, the Northern Irishman then faced the worst of the conditions on the Friday with the wins gusting up to 40mph.
How things can change in golf within 24 hours, with McIlroy following up his 63 with a second-round 80 leaving him on -1 at the halfway stage. He finished the tournament tied third, eight shots behind winner Louis Oosthuizen.
Henrik Stenson / Phil Mickelson (63 – eight-under-par) – 2016 – Royal Troon
Both Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson carded rounds of 63 at Troon, so we’ve included them both at number four as they fought it out for the Claret Jug in 2016.
Mickelson, who had been Open champion three years earlier, started the tournament with an eight-under-par round to lead the field the field by three shots.
But more impressively, Stenson carded his 63 in the final round to hold off the American – who shot a 65 on the Sunday – and claim his first and only Major title.
Isao Aoki (63 – eight-under-par) – 1980 – Muirfield
At the time, Isao Aoki was only the sixth golfer to fire a 63 in a Major championship, when taking full advantage on moving day.
After back-to-back rounds of 74 on Thursday and Friday, the Japanese ace moved up the leaderboard to T7 – nine shots off the pace.
He could only manage a 73 in the last round to see him eventually finish T12, as Tom Watson went on to lift the Claret Jug once again.
There’s also a word for Shane Lowry, who also carded a 63 en route to winning the tournament in 2019 at Royal Portrush.
