Lucas Herbert has held his chasers at bay to retain the Australian Open lead after a moist and wild third spherical at Kingston Heath.
However the Victorian fan favorite has firm on the prime after relinquishing a four-shot midway benefit with a grinding even-par 72 in depressing Melbourne on Saturday.
Little-known and lowly-ranked American Ryggs Johnston joined Herbert at 14 beneath with a birdie-filled spherical of 68 as 13 gamers ended the day inside 5 pictures of the lead.
Johnston blazed via the entrance 9 in 31 pictures, catching Herbert even earlier than the flip together with his fourth consecutive birdie on the seventh gap.
A dreaded double-bogey seven on the par-5 14th was the world No.954’s solely blemish as Johnston continued his gorgeous week on the Melbourne sandbelt.
Hailing from Montana and named after Mel Gibson’s Deadly Weapon character, the DP World Tour Qualifying Faculty graduate solely arrived on Monday after ending in a tie for forty third eventually week’s Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.
The 24-year-old then performed this week’s different host course, Victoria Golf Membership, on Tuesday and had deliberate a follow spherical at Kingston Heath on Wednesday earlier than the foul climate intervened.
Regardless of going into Thursday’s opening spherical “just about blind”, Johnston carded eight birdies — together with 5 in a row from the twelfth — and a single bogey to achieve seven beneath par and sit one shot off the lead.
He continued the assault on Saturday to maintain Herbert trustworthy within the LIV Golf star’s quest so as to add the Stonehaven Cup to the NSW Open crown he gained three weeks at Murray Downs, simply two hours from his dwelling city of Bendigo.
Herbert and Johnston are two pictures away from a five-way pack at 12 beneath, together with resurgent defending champion Joaquin Niemann.
After beginning 10 pictures again, Niemann posted a scorching 64 to put the leaders on discover.
Newly-crowned Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie (69), Finland’s Oliver Lindell (69) and former Asia-Pacific Newbie winners Jasper Stubbs (68) and Wenyi Ding (68) of China are additionally solely two behind.
Marc Leishman carded a 68 to be equal eighth at 11 beneath, three pictures off the tempo, together with one other ex-Asia-Pacific Newbie champ Harrison Crowe (69).
The in-form Herbert, although, stays the participant to beat because the 28-year eyes a maiden Australian Open triumph and a uncommon wire-to-wire victory.
“A bit bit irritating however kind of no floor misplaced actually. I am nonetheless within the lead,” Herbert mentioned.
“I may need simply let a number of extra folks again into the event however nonetheless main, nonetheless the place I wish to be so, yeah, good outcome from a irritating day.”
A defiant Cameron Smith had insisted a maiden Open crown remained in touching distance regardless of a dramatic second-round collapse.
Alas, the 2022 British Open champion will finish his four-tournament summer season stint again dwelling winless after slumping to a tie for forty ninth at two beneath following a disappointing spherical of 76.
