Event leader Lucas Herbert of Ripper GC tees off in round two of LIV Golf United Kingdom at the JCB Golf & Country Club in Rochester, England, on Friday. Image courtesy LIV Golf.
From a Correspondent
Rochester, England: Lucas Herbert will take a four-shot advantage over Bryson DeChambeau entering this weekend at LIV Golf United Kingdom presented by JCB.
The next closest pursuer is Tyrrell Hatton, but he’s seven shots behind.
Herbert, who went wire-to-wire in Virginia two months ago to claim his first LIV Golf title, hopes he and DeChambeau can continue to separate from the field, leaving them to go toe-to-toe in Sunday’s final round.
Only one other scenario would please the Ripper GC star more.
“Would love to make it a two-horse race with Bryson on Sunday,” Herbert said. “Or maybe a one-horse race if I can.”
The way Herbert is playing now, no one doubts he could run away from the pack.
The 30-year-old Australian followed his course-record 11 under par 61 on Thursday with a 6 under 66, fuelled by an impressive back-nine response after DeChambeau overtook him for the lead midway on Friday at the JCB Golf & Country Club.
At 17 under, Herbert has the tournament in his hands; as a proven front-runner, he’ll be difficult to rein in. Even so, he remains cautious about his chances with 36 holes to play.
“I’ve seen this happen before where it feels like there’s only two of us in the tournament and everyone kind of gets caught up in that story and other guys come back in,” said Herbert.
Long road
“I can think of Anthony Kim winning in Adelaide earlier this year when everyone thought it was the Bryson and Jon (Rahm) show there on Sunday. We’re only halfway. We have a lot of golf to go.”
DeChambeau, at 13 under after his 5 under 67, knows the challenge will be difficult, especially given Herbert’s current form.
Last week, Herbert was the 36-hole leader at The Open Championship after tying a men’s major record with his second-round 62. He eventually finished T6, the best finish of his major career.
Asked what it will take to catch Herbert, DeChambeau replied with a laugh: “Just shoot 10-under-par both days.
“That’s what it feels like I’ve got to do. Him being four ahead, it’s not going to be an easy task. … It’s going to be a great battle, no matter what. I hope I can give him a battle.”
DeChambeau can at least draw on the first half of Friday’s round when he made up a three-stroke deficit to take the lead.
The Crushers GC captain was a bogey-free 5 under through 10 holes, while Herbert’s putter went cold, as he missed three par putts, each within three feet or less.
When DeChambeau birdied the par-5 10th and Herbert scrambled for par, the American led by one. But a nine-foot par-saving putt by Herbert on that hole was a positive sign.
Positive steps
He then birdied the par-4 12th after driving the green, eagled the par-5 13th with a 33-foot putt, and made a 10-foot birdie putt at the party-hole 14th to re-establish his multi-shot lead. He added another late birdie at the par-3 17th.
“It was not my best stuff out there,” Herbert said, “but that back nine, kind of hung around long enough to see my chance to take the lead again come to fruition.”
DeChambeau, meanwhile, played the final eight holes in even par, negating two birdies with two bogeys.
That’s left him with plenty of work as he seeks his third individual win of the season while also hoping to make up ground against points leader Rahm in the season-long individual championship.
“I’ve got to focus on playing some really good golf, not making too many mistakes out there,” he said. “I made too many on the back nine today.”
He can’t afford too many more this weekend. Meanwhile, Herbert is glad to be in the final group with DeChambeau for the second consecutive round.
“I actually really enjoy it,” Herbert said. “I’m glad I’m playing with him again tomorrow. He’s had some great support out there. There’s a lot of fans out there watching our group, which was pretty awesome.
“It’s a privilege to have him out here because he’s bringing a lot of eyeballs and a lot of fans, which we love doing around the world.”
Novel approach
In the team race, the all-Australian Ripper GC are a cumulative 37 under and have a nine-stroke lead over the Crushers. Perhaps partial credit should go to the inventive way the team is relaxing after rounds.
All four players – Herbert, captain Cameron Smith and teammates Marc Leishman and Travis Smyth (who is filling in for an injured Elvis Smylie) – are staying in the same house.
So are the caddies and some team staff. Following Thursday’s opening round, the group played a game created by Smith in which each person chopped a carrot in two. The winner is the one who can cut two pieces that weigh the closest to each other.
“Very competitive,” Herbert said Friday. “… I don’t know what he’s got planned tonight, some sort of knockout round-robin extravaganza. I’m sure that will entertain us and get our mind off the golf.”
Herbert said the fun activities were beneficial, especially in his position with the lead. Without LIV Golf’s team concept, he’d have to deal with the pressure by himself.
“One of the funnest things about the team golf aspect,” he said. “I think our team is one of the best. We have some of the best camaraderie with those sorts of things. Yeah, I feel pretty fortunate to be included in that.” (courtesy LIV Golf)
Leaderboards
Individual Top 10
1. (-17) – Lucas Herbert, Ripper (61-66)
2. (-13) – Bryson DeChambeau, Crushers (64-67)
3. (-10) – Tyrrell Hatton, Legion XIII (66-68)
T4 (-9) – Byeong Hun An, Korean (67-68); Harold Varner III, OKGC (66-69)
T6 (-8) – Cameron Smith, Ripper (69-67); Peter Uihlein, RangeGoats (69-67); Dean Burmester, Southern Guards (70-66)
T10 (-7) – Caleb Surratt, Legion XIII (68-69); Anirban Lahiri, Crushers (68-69)
Team Top 3
1. (-37) – Ripper GC (Herbert 61-66, Leishman 68-68; Smith 69-67; Smyth 71-69; Rd. 2 score: -18)
2. (-28) – Crushers GC (DeChambeau 64-67, Howell III 68-70, Lahiri 68-69, Casey 73-69; Rd. 2 score: -13)
3. (-19) – Legion XIII (Hatton 66-68, Surratt 68-69, McKibbin 73-70, Rahm 73-70; Rd. 2 score: -11)
Day 2 stats
Driving Distance: Paul Casey, 312.1-yard avg.
Longest Drive: Dustin Johnson, 339.8 yards (8th hole). Official measured drives taken only on holes 8 and 10.
Driving Accuracy: Byeong Hun An, 85.71% (12 of 14)
Greens in Regulation: Byeong Hun An, Carlos Ortiz, Thomas Pieters, Scott Vincent, Paul Casey, Jon Rahm, Cameron Tringale, Sebastian Munoz, 77.78% (14 of 18)
Scrambling: Charl Schwartzel (8 of 8), Martin Kaymer (5 of 5), Sebastian Munoz (4 of 4), 100%
Fewest Putts: Peter Uihlein, 24
Bogey-free rounds: Charl Schwartzel (69), Sebastian Munoz (70), Martin Kaymer (70)
Also read: Herbert leads DeChambeau after day one of LIV Golf UK
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