Certainly one of Australia’s personal has agency management of the Australian Open halfway by means of the championship.
Lucas Herbert, who joined LIV Golf in January 2024, fired a 6-under 66 at Kingston Heath Golf Membership on Friday to increase his result in 4 by means of 36 holes. He sits at 14-under par. However Herbert is aware of to not get complacent at this level. Loads of work stays for the Bendigo, Victoria native all through the third and remaining rounds.
“I’ve acquired 36 holes on the sandbelt this weekend,” Herbert mentioned of his place on the leaderboard.
“I feel the best lure to fall into could be to assume you’ve acquired management of this match. It doesn’t take a lot to leap up and chunk you. So, it’s positively the place I wish to be in, however I definitely don’t have management of it.”
Herbert, who held a one-shot benefit after day one, acquired off to a roaring begin on Friday, making an eagle and two birdies on his first three holes. A stiff wind then started to select up, which helps clarify why Herbert performed his subsequent 9 holes in 1-over par. However he salvaged his solely dropped shot of the week on the par-4 tenth with a string of birdies on the thirteenth, 14th, and fifteenth holes.
“I knew I needed to keep aggressive,” Herbert added.
“I knew it was going to get windier later within the spherical, so getting off to an excellent begin, actually, actually helped that as a result of it meant that I wasn’t kind of scrambling at degree par or 1-under by means of 9 holes. I used to be 4 or 5-under there in some unspecified time in the future, so yeah, good takeaways from that.”
However, Herbert is aware of he should keep aggressive all through the weekend, particularly with loads of expertise farther down the leaderboard, equivalent to Cam Smith.
Smith sits at 6-under, eight photographs again.
“I’m anticipating [Smith] to make a run. I can’t shoot 72-72 this weekend and anticipate to win this golf match. There’s loads of work nonetheless to be achieved,” Herbert famous.
“I’m anticipating these guys behind me to make a cost. If it rains tomorrow morning, the golf course will nonetheless be tender. I hope it doesn’t, actually, it’s rebounded very, in a short time and it’s beginning to play just like the sandbelt we all know and love. So yeah, I’ve nonetheless acquired loads of work to do that weekend and yeah, like I mentioned, I’m anticipating these guys to be pushing fairly onerous.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. Remember to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
