Australian Herbert moves top of Open leaderboard with birdie blitz

Lucas Herbert of Australia seized the lead at the British Open on Friday, reaching six under par with an exceptional start to his second round at Royal Birkdale. Herbert carded a blistering 28 on the front nine, making six birdies to surge past overnight leader Jackson Suber.

Suber, an American who began the day at five under after an opening 65, experienced a challenging stretch with three consecutive bogeys. However, he showed resilience, recovering to remain at five under with four holes remaining in his round, solidifying his position as a contender on his Open debut.

The favorable weather conditions at Royal Birkdale contributed to a day of significant movement on the leaderboard. England's Matt Wallace posted a second-round 67 to reach four under par, while American Eric Cole recorded the day's lowest score with a six-under 64.

Reigning champion Scottie Scheffler was among those still on the course, having started his second round two under par. The field is navigating the historic links course under relatively calm skies, setting the stage for a potentially dramatic conclusion to the championship.