Grace posts 62 for lowest-ever round in a major

Jim "Bones" Mackay called it.

Branden Grace took advantage of a defenseless Royal Birkdale Golf Club on Saturday at The Open, posting a 62 to set a new record for the lowest round in major championship history.

"I didn't know what was going on 18. I promise you," Grace told reporters after the round. "It was a special day."

The 29-year-old opened with a birdie at the par-4 first, then made back-to-back birdies at Nos. 4 and 5, moving to 1-over par for the championship. After pars at six and seven, Grace again made back-to-back birdies to finish with an outward-nine 29 at Birkdale.

The South African began a string of four straight pars at the 10th, then shaved another stroke at the par-3 14th hole, creating the #62watch on social media with two par 5s left on the scorecard.

Grace gave himself a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-5 15th, but his ball just lipped out.

Grace didn't wait long for his seventh birdie of the day, holing a 40-footer at 16. Then he made a two-putt birdie at the par-5 17th, meaning he'd require only par to make history.

After knocking his approach at the last a touch long at 18, Grace would cozy his third up to 2 feet, and then ...

"I was just concentrating on trying to get myself back into this tournament, and giving myself a chance tomorrow," he said. "I feel I'm playing well, and I just want to get out there again tomorrow, and try and do something similar. Just play some good golf."

Prior to Saturday's 62, the previous record of 63 was accomplished 31 times.