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Lucas Herbert will hold a four-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau this weekend at LIV Golf UK Presented by JCB. The next closest pursuer is Tyrrell Hatton, but he is seven strokes behind.
Herbert, who was in Virginia from start to finish two months ago to claim his first LIV Golf title, hopes he and DeChambeau can continue to separate themselves from the field, letting them go head-to-head in Sunday’s final round. Only another scenario would please the Ripper GC star more.
“I would love for Sunday to be a two-horse race with Bryson,” Herbert said. “Or maybe a one-horse race if I can.”
The way Herbert is playing now, no one doubts that he could escape the group. The 30-year-old Australian followed up his course-record 11-under 61 in Thursday’s opening round with a 6-under 666, fueled by an impressive back-nine response after DeChambeau overtook him for the lead at the halfway point Friday at JCB Golf & Country Club.
At 17 under par, Herbert has the tournament in his hands; As a proven leader, he will be difficult to dominate. Still, he remains cautious about his chances with 36 holes left to play.
“I’ve seen this before, where it feels like there’s only two of us in the tournament and everyone gets caught up in that story and other guys come back,” Herbert said. “I can think of Anthony Kim winning in Adelaide earlier this year, when everyone thought it was Bryson and Jon. [Rahm] show there on Sunday. We are only halfway there. “We have a lot of golf ahead of us.”
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 major men’s record with his 62 in the second round. He ultimately finished T6, the best result of his major career.
When asked what it would take to catch Herbert, DeChambeau responded with a laugh: “Just shoot 10 under both days. That’s what I feel like I have to do. With him being four ahead, it’s not going to be an easy task… It’s going to be a big battle, no matter what. I hope I can give it a fight.”
DeChambeau can at least tie it in the first half of Friday’s round, when he rallied from a three-shot deficit to take the lead. DeChambeau was 5 under par without a bogey through 10 holes, while Herbert’s putter went cold, as he missed three par putts, each within 3 feet or less.
When DeChambeau birdied the par-5 10th as Herbert battled for par, the Crushers captain led by one. But Herbert’s 9-foot par putt on that hole was a positive sign. 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 on the 14th hole to reestablish his multi-shot lead. He added another late birdie on the par-3 17th.
“It wasn’t my finest hour,” Herbert said, “but that back nine, I stayed in there long enough to see my chance to take the lead again become a reality.”
Meanwhile, DeChambeau played the final eight holes in even par, negating two birdies with two bogeys. That left him with his work cut out for him as he seeks his third individual victory of the season while also hoping to make up ground against points leader Rahm in the race for the season-long Individual Championship.
“I have to concentrate on playing very good golf, without making too many mistakes,” he said. “Today I did too much on the back nine.”
He can’t afford many more this weekend. Meanwhile, Herbert is happy to be in the final group with DeChambeau for the second straight round.
“I actually enjoy it a lot,” Herbert said. “I’m glad to be playing with him again tomorrow. He’s had great support. There are a lot of fans watching our group, which was pretty amazing. It’s a privilege to have him here because he’s attracting a lot of eyes and fans, which we love doing all over the world.”
TOP OF THE LEADERBOARDS
Top 10 singles
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)
ROUND 2 NOTES
RIPPERS CARROT CUTTING CONTEST: Driven by tournament leader Lucas Herbert, Australian Ripper GC has a cumulative 37 under par and a nine-stroke lead over Crushers GC. Perhaps some of the credit should go to the clever way the team relaxes after rounds.
All four players – Herbert, captain Cameron Smith and teammates Marc Leishman and Travis Smyth (replacing the injured Elvis Smylie) – will stay in the same house. So are the caddies and some of the team’s staff. After the first round on Thursday, the group played a game created by Smith in which each person cut a carrot in two. The winner is the one who can cut two pieces that weigh closest to each other.
“Very competitive,” Herbert said Friday. “…I don’t know what he has planned tonight, some sort of round-robin show. I’m sure that will entertain us and take our mind off golf.”
Herbert said those types of fun activities are beneficial, especially in his leadership position. Without LIV Golf’s team concept, he would have to deal with the pressure alone.
“One of the most fun things about team golf,” he said. “I think our team is one of the best. We have the best camaraderie around that kind of stuff. Yeah, I feel very lucky to be included in that.”
DECHAMBEAU RECOVERING GROUND: Bryson DeChambeau still has plenty of points to make up in order to apply some pressure on Jon Rahm, who currently leads the season-long points race as he chases a third straight individual championship.
But with DeChambeau in solo second place at 13 under, while Rahm is tied for 31st at 1 under, DeChambeau can at least prevent Rahm from taking the title this week.
“I’m sure he will be a force to be reckoned with in the days to come and in New Jersey as well.” [in Bedminster at LIV Golf New York, the league’s next tournament]”DeChambeau said.
Rahm and DeChambeau have two wins each this season, but Rahm’s consistency has given him a healthy advantage. Even if DeChambeau fails to catch up, a second place finish in the final standings would be his best race result of the season.
“I feel like I’ve had my best year here this year,” DeChambeau said. “For some reason, I feel like I’ve left a lot of things out there, which is pretty interesting for me, but I’m really grateful to have had a great year here… I feel really comfortable with my game, as comfortable as I’ve felt in a long time.”
HATTON BIRD WALK: For the second round in a row, Tyrrell Hatton birdied the par-3 ninth. On Thursday it was with a 10-foot putt. On Friday, it was from 5 feet, and it went in. Accidentally, of course.
“I thought I missed it right,” he said. “I’ve been struggling with putts left and right this week. I feel like the ball is sliding off the face, so I’m not really hitting the line I want. I’m a little surprised to see it go in.”
Two years ago, Hatton tied for second place in JCB behind his Legion XIII captain, Rahm. He enters this weekend third alone at 10 under par, seven strokes behind Herbert. He is seeking his second consecutive LIV Golf title (and third overall), having won last month in Andalusia.
“You can see how good the scores have been the first two days,” said Hatton, who shot a 4-under 68 on Friday. “There is supposed to be a little more wind tomorrow, but I still imagine the score will be pretty good. I hope I can play well and give myself chances.”
CASEY RETURNS WITH BIG BOOSTS: DeChambeau’s Crushers GC teammate Paul Casey returned to action this week after missing the previous two tournaments with an injury. On Friday, Casey led the field in average driving distance. “Actually?” DeChambeau said, laughing. “How many wagon roads did he travel? I don’t know what he was doing in those nine weeks off.”
Then he added seriously: “He’s always been sneaky for a long time. It’s funny, he’s got that sharp low bullet. He’s a great player. I’m very happy to have him back in the team. I need him. We need him for the last few weeks of this year.”
STATISTICS LEADERS
ROUND 2
Driving distance: Paul Casey, average 312.1 yards.
Longest trip: Dustin Johnson, 339.8 yards (8th hole). Officially measured drives taken on holes 8 and 10 only.
Driving precision: Byeong Hun An, 85.71% (12 of 14)
Greens in the Regulation: Byeong Hun An, Carlos Ortiz, Thomas Pieters, Scott Vincent, Paul Casey, Jon Rahm, Cameron Tringale, Sebastian Munoz, 77.78% (14 out of 18)
Fight: Charl Schwartzel (8 of 8), Martin Kaymer (5 of 5), Sebastián Muñoz (4 of 4), 100%
Fewer putts: Peter Uihlein, 24 years old
Bogey-free rounds: Charl Schwartzel (69), Sebastián Muñoz (70), Martin Kaymer (70)
IN GENERAL
Driving distance: Dustin Johnson, average 305.3 yards.
Longest trip: David Puig, 339.8 yards (hole 10, Rd. 1). Officially measured drives taken on holes 8 and 10 only.
Driving precision: David Puig, 78.57% (22 of 28)
Greens in the Regulation: Caleb Surratt, 83.33% (30 of 36)
Fight: Carlos Howell III (9 of 10), 90%
Fewer putts: Peter Uihlein, 48 years old
This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in association with LIV Golf.
