Lucas Herbert signalled his intentions bag a second win at home this summer after taking a sizeable 36-hole lead at the Australian Open but says it would be foolish to feel he has one hand on the Stonehaven Cup.
In-form Herbert validated his tournament-opening 63 at co-host Victoria Golf Club with a 66 at Kingston Heath. At 14-under-par, Herbert led at the halfway mark by four shots over unheralded American Ryggs Johnston (65, 68). Last week’s Australian PGA winner, Elvis Smylie, was among six players tied third at nine-under.
The NSW Open winner two weeks ago, Herbert jumped out of the gates on a sunny and windy Melbourne day with an eagle at the par-5 first at Kingston Heath. He immediately reeled off two more birdies. Herbert bounced back from a bogey at the 10th with three straight birdies from the 13th.
Few players in the Australian Open field know the Sandbelt as well as Herbert, who played all his junior and amateur golf at nearby Commonwealth Golf Club.
“I’ll be in the last group, which is where I wanted to be coming into the weekend,” Herbert said. “But I’ve got 36 holes on the Sandbelt (to come). I’ve played a lot of golf at Kingston Heath. I think the easiest trap to fall into would be thinking you’ve got control of this golf tournament. (Sandbelt courses) don’t take much to jump up and bite you.”
Several groups ahead of Herbert was his Ripper GC teammate on LIV Golf, major winner Cameron Smith. The 2022 British Open winner was hot early, at five-under for his front nine, before collapsing on the back with three bogeys and a double-bogey 6 at the 16th. He signed for an even-par 72.
Smith lamented being put on the clock on the back nine by tournament officials due to the pace of his group, which included Smylie and Frenchman Victor Perez. They teed off just after 12pm and played in about 4.5 hours.
“We got put on the clock and didn’t seen we were playing that slow and then it felt like we were rushing,” Smith said afterwards. “I made some really poor choices that led to a few bogeys. I don’t get put on the clock too often because I feel I’m a pretty fast player. There is a common denominator there that’s a little bit slower.
Smith didn’t name 22-year-old Smylie directly, a recipient of the Cam Smith Scholarship in 2019, and said he wouldn’t have a word given it was “not my job to.” Smylie emphasised that the “group” was put on the clock and felt he did a “good job myself” maintaining a solid pace of play. Smith was also put on the clock while playing with Smylie in the final round of last week’s PGA at Royal Queensland.
Smylie shot an eight-under 64 at Kingston Heath on Friday and sat nine-under, five behind Herbert.
At one stage, Smith was 11-under and tied for the lead but finished two rounds sitting eight shots off the lead. Smith shared second behind Herbert at the recent NSW Open. Herbert said his LIV Golf captain was not out of the race yet.
“I’m expecting him to make a run,” Herbert said about Smith. “I can’t shoot 72, 72 and expect to win this tournament. I’m expecting the guys behind me to make a run.”
