Australian golfer Lucas Herbert takes the lead at the British Open after equalling a long-standing front-nine record at Royal Birkdale. On Friday during the second round, Herbert posts a six-under-par 28 on his outward nine, highlighted across multiple reports as featuring six birdies in nine holes. Several outlets note that this score matches the British Open record for the lowest first nine, previously set by Denis Durnian at Birkdale in 1983. By making 28 on the front nine, Herbert moves to the top of the leaderboard and is described as firmly in contention for the Claret Jug. BBC Sport and other sources present the performance as a course record-equalling achievement, with the 2026 Championship’s second-round timing referenced by BBC. While all sources focus on the record-equal opening nine and the resulting rise into first place, they provide consistent details about the key facts: the 28 on the outward nine, the six-under-par mark, and the link to Durnian’s 1983 record.