And yet Grace, the 29-year-old ranked 35th in the world, later admitted he had been blissfully unaware of what he was about to achieve as he came down the 18th.

"I was just so in the zone of playing, hole after hole. I knew I was obviously playing really well, and making the turn in five-under was pretty special," he said.

"And I thought if I could make a couple more on the back nine, then it's going to be a great score. I had no idea that 62 was the lowest ever."

The round also broke Jodie Mudd's course record of 63, set in the final round of the Open in 1991.

Grace, whose caddie told him of the record after he holed out at the last, added: "I feel I'm playing well. And I just want to get out there again tomorrow (Sunday) and try to do something similar, just play some good golf.

"And obviously it makes me feel a lot better after the score I shot today."

Grace, whose best showing at a major to date is a third place at the PGA Championship in 2015, is one of those hoping to extend a run of the last seven majors being won by players who had never previously won any of golf's biggest prizes.