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 high 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 below with a birdie-filled spherical of 68 as 13 gamers ended the day inside 5 pictures of the lead.
Johnston blazed by 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 beautiful week on the Melbourne sandbelt.
Hailing from Montana and named after Mel Gibson’s Deadly Weapon character, the DP World Tour Qualifying College graduate solely arrived on Monday after ending in a tie for forty third ultimately 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 observe 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 succeed in seven below par and sit one shot off the lead.
He continued the assault on Saturday to maintain Herbert sincere within the LIV Golf star’s quest so as to add the Stonehaven Cup to the NSW Open crown he received three weeks at Murray Downs, simply two hours from his residence city of Bendigo.
Herbert and Johnston are two pictures away from a five-way pack at 12 below, together with resurgent defending champion Joaquin Niemann.
After beginning 10 pictures again, Niemann posted a scorching 64 to position the leaders on discover.
Newly-crowned Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie (69), Finland’s Oliver Lindell (69) and former Asia-Pacific Beginner 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 below, three pictures off the tempo, together with one other ex-Asia-Pacific Beginner 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.
“Somewhat bit irritating however kind of no floor misplaced actually. I am nonetheless within the lead,” Herbert mentioned.
“I might need simply let just a few extra individuals again into the match however nonetheless main, nonetheless the place I need 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 time stint again residence winless after slumping to a tie for forty ninth at two below following a disappointing spherical of 76.
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