The 30-year-old Victorian conjured up the round of his life on a glorious second morning of the Open on Friday, firing nine birdies as he completely turned the tournament on its head, transforming a five-shot overnight deficit into a two-shot lead over the field.
Starting with the lowest nine-hole score in Open history by turning in 28 at six under, LIV Golf star Herbert didn't take his foot off the gas in the perfect scoring conditions, adding three more birdies after the turn.
But needing just a par on the 18th hole for the all-time record low round in a major of 61, Herbert finally blinked, hitting a wayward drive at the last and then missing a short five-foot par-putt.
His 62 equalled the mark set five times in a major championship round - Branden Grace at the Open also at Birkdale in 2017, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele at the Los Angeles Country Club in the 2023 US Open, and Schauffele and Shane Lowry at the PGA Championship in 2024.
He was left on eight-under for the championships, two shots clear of overnight leader Jackson Suber (69) and fellow American Cameron Young, who was also on six-under after a 67.
Yet, amazingly, within minutes of Herbert's landmark, another player joined the 62 club as American Sam Burns finished his own bogey-free, eight-under round with a birdie, moving to five under for the tournament.
Herbert was left just a little flat after missing out on a slice of history with his missed five-footer, ending with his hands on knees after it slid by.
"I felt like the energy was amazing, everyone wanted it to happen," he sighed. "I felt like I'd kind of let everyone down a little bit there on the last miss because it just felt like everyone wanted to be a part of watching that bit of history.
"Yeah, it was a lot of fun. Those first 12 holes, I don't know if I've played golf that well before, so it was very, very cool to experience that.
"And I was able to, between shots, take a little bit of stock out there and reflect on the experience. It's something I'll be able to remember for the rest of my life."
The in-form Herbert had revealed earlier in the week at Southport how the uncertainty surrounding the future of LIV Golf had taken a toll on him, and even made him consider his future in the sport.
But his play over the first dozen holes left even him astounded. He holed a 16ft birdie putt for openers, a 15-footer at the second, a five-footer at the third, before he found the greenside with a booming drive at the 326-yard fifth and almost chipped in for an eagle.
He holed a 36ft "bonus" putt at the seventh to take the lead for the first time, and holed from the fringe from 25 feet to make it six birdies in nine holes, equalling the Open nine-hole record set at Birkdale by Englishman Denis Durnian in 1983.
Fearlessly, the Australian, with his trusty ZZ-Top bearded caddie Nick Pugh cajoling alongside, kept on the attack, holing a 10-footer at the 11th and from 13ft at the next to move to eight under.
The all-time record looked a reality when he pitched his approach to seven foot on the 16th, his ninth birdie of the day leaving him, almost unthinkably, needing two more for the first 59 ever in a major.
A terrible second on the par-five 17th left him scrabbling way off the green, but he chipped up inspirationally to 10 foot, only to miss the putt but still making par.
Making hay in these perfect conditions with the wind set to get more gusty as the day progressed put Herbert in a strong position to be leading at halfway as he seeks to become the first Australian winner since Cam Smith, his captain with LIV Golf team Ripper GC, in 2022.
Smith looked set to miss the cut at two-over, despite shooting a 71 but other Aussies started to thrive like Herbert, with Adam Scott, a day after his 46th birthday, shooting a 66 to move to two under.
