LIV Golf pro Lucas Herbert matched two records at Royal Birkdale after hitting an eight-under 62 in the second round of the 2026 Open. He has equaled the lowest-ever front nine score at The Open (28) and the lowest-ever round (62) in a men’s major. However, these milestones would not have been possible had he incurred a penalty for his caddie using a rangefinder on the 14th tee. While the PGA of America allows the use of a rangefinder at the PGA Championship (with limited features), the Open and other majors prohibit such devices. As the confusion over the penalty kept growing (why was it not given), Nick Pugh has now clarified why he used the rangefinder and the painstaking process behind getting an approval.

“On LIV Golf, we’re allowed to use a rangefinder for distance-measuring purposes,” he explained when Today’s Golfer asked him about the use of the device. “I obviously know that we can’t do it here or at the U.S. Open. But there was another player at the U.S. Open whose caddie was given the OK to use a rangefinder without the battery. I inquired very early on in the week with the R&A, one of the rules officials. I gave him a heads-up. I said, ‘Hey, this is what happened in the previous tournament. Would this be OK?’

“It obviously went to the powers that be. It went right to the very top, and I was given the green light. So, I informed our playing partners on the first tee yesterday. I informed our walking referee, and I asked her for a second opinion. I said, ‘Can you just make sure this is absolutely correct?’ To which she came back on the second tee with a thumbs-up,” added Pugh.

83% of our readers couldn't break par yesterday

Changing winds, tricky bunkers, and quirky breaks test every shot. Beat par, compare scores, and return tomorrow for a new challenge.

TEE OFF HERE↗

The rules for the use of rangefinders can vary from event to event. For instance, the PGA Tour started allowing rangefinders with limited functions to improve the pace of play. But LIV Golf, as Pugh explained, lets pros use rangefinders for distance-measuring purposes. It prohibits them from using any slope functions. The USGA and R&A prohibit digitally measuring the distance as well. Pugh used it as a binocular just to see the ball and not find the exact distance. But what was the need for the rangefinder in the first place?

Well, without a battery, it is of no use except as a pair of binoculars. And Pugh needed binoculars because of his poor eyesight.

“I’ll be honest with you guys—my eyesight isn’t great. The glasses aren’t just there to make me look cool,” the veteran caddie quipped. “I sometimes struggle when the ball comes down. I mean, this guy hits it a long way. He hit it 380 yards yesterday with a 3-wood. And if he wants to know if the ball’s in the bunker or not, these old eyes don’t see it so well. So, I’ll generally use the rangefinder, which pretty clearly has no battery inside.”

He used it on the 14th hole, which is significant. Herbert used his driver for the first time this week on the 14th. His tee shot traveled 311 yards and landed in deep rough. After punching out from there, Herbert’s third shot landed in a greenside bunker. Pugh was trying to figure out whether his ball found the sand trap or not.

Sky Sports commentators who witnessed the entire incident also clarified the matter. Rich Beem brought to the viewers’ attention that Herbert’s caddie was using a rangefinder, which is prohibited. His co-commentator, Andrew Coltart, looked at the rules sheet and said that Rule 10 clearly prohibits its use. Coltart acknowledged that without batteries, it functions only as binoculars, not as a measuring device. But it became a talking point because golfers have been severely punished for using distance-measuring devices.

• 2025 AIG Women’s Open: Ana Pelaez Trivino was DQed as her caddie Miguel Evangelio Gomez-Escolar used a rangefinder. He used it twice, which is why Trivino was disqualified instead of just getting a two-shot penalty.
• 2025 CJ Cup Byron Nelson: Just last year, Davis Riley used his rangefinder with the slope feature on. He called the rules official himself and accepted a two-stroke penalty.
• 2023 U.S. Women’s Open: Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, a 20-year-old rookie at that time, was disqualified because her caddie used it on multiple occasions. The first violation results in a two-stroke penalty, but by the time the USGA realized it, her caddie had used it more than once.
• 2021 Colbert Charity Classic: Brett White was DQed from the All Pro Tour for accidentally turning on the slope function to hit multiple shots. He was just four shots off the leader in the final round.

Although it looked like a rules infraction would spoil Lucas Herbert’s historic round, his caddie made sure to keep everything in check beforehand. Herbert went on to shoot 62, and that too came with an 18th-hole bogey. Now he has a chance to join Ian Baker-Finch, Greg Norman, and his fellow Ripper GC teammate, Cameron Smith, as Aussie Open champions.