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Lucas Herbert will take a four-shot advantage over Bryson DeChambeau coming into this weekend at LIV Golf United Kingdom, presented by JCB. The next closest pursuer is Tyrrell Hatton, but he is 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 up his course-record 11-under 61 in Thursday’s opening round with a 6-under 66, powered by an impressive back-9 response after DeChambeau overtook him for the lead midway through Friday at JCB Golf & Country Club.
At 17 under, Herbert has the tournament in his hands; as a proven front-runner, he will be difficult to reign in. Still, he is 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 everybody kind of 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’re only halfway there. We have a lot of golf left.”
DeChambeau, at 13 under after his 5-under 67, knows the challenge will be tough, 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 I feel like I have to do. When he’s four up, it’s not going to be an easy task. . . . It’s going to be a great game, no matter what. I hope I can give him a game.”
At least DeChambeau can draw on the first half of Friday’s round, as he made a three-stroke deficit to take the lead. DeChambeau was a bogey-free 5 under 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 while Herbert scrambled for par, the Crushers led the captain by one. But the 9-foot par-saving putt by Herbert 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 par-4 14th to re-establish his multi-shot lead. He added another late birdie at the par-3 17th.
“It wasn’t my best stuff out there,” Herbert said, “but the back nine, kind of hung around long enough to see my chance to retake the lead materialize.”
DeChambeau, meanwhile, played the final eight holes in even par, negating two birdies with two bogeys. That has left him with plenty of work to do as he seeks his third individual victory of the season while also hoping to make up for points leader Rahm in the season-long individual championship race.
“I’ve got to focus on playing some really good golf and not making too many mistakes out there,” he said. “I made too many on the nine today.”
He can’t afford too many more this weekend. Meanwhile, Herbert is happy to be in the final group with DeChambeau for the second round in a row.
“I’m actually really enjoying it,” Herbert said. “I’m glad I’m playing with him again tomorrow. He’s had a lot of support out there. There’s a lot of fans out there watching our group, which was pretty great. It’s a privilege to have him out here because he brings a lot of eyes and a lot of fans, which we love to do around the world.”
TOP OF THE 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)
ROUND 2 NOTES
RIPPERS’ CARROT CUTTING COMPETITION: Driven by tournament director Lucas Herbert, the all-Australian Ripper GC is a cumulative 37 under and holds a nine-stroke lead over Crushers GC. Perhaps partial credit must go to the inventive way the team relaxes after rounds.
All four players – Herbert, captain Cameron Smith and teammates Marc Leishman and Travis Smyth (filling in for injured Elvis Smylie) – will stay in the same house. So are the caddies and some team staff. After Thursday’s opening round, the group played a game created by Smith in which each person chopped a carrot in half. 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 knockout round-robin extravaganza. I’m sure it will entertain us and take our minds off the golf course.”
Herbert said those kinds of fun activities are beneficial, especially in his position with the manager. Without LIV Golf’s team concept, he would have to cope with the pressure 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 that kind of thing. Yeah, I feel pretty lucky to be included in it.”
DECHAMBEAU MAKING UP GROUND: Bryson DeChambeau still has plenty of points to make up to put some heat on Jon Rahm, who currently leads the season-long points race as he chases a third straight individual championship.
But with DeChambeau tied for second in solo play at 13 under while Rahm is tied for 31st at 1 under, DeChambeau can at least keep Rahm from winning the title this week.
“I’m sure he’ll be a force to be reckoned with over the next few days and in New Jersey as well [in Bedminster at LIV Golf New York, the league’s next tournament],” DeChambeau said.
Rahm and DeChambeau each have two wins this season, but Rahm’s consistency has provided a healthy advantage. Even if DeChambeau fails to catch him, a second-place finish in the final standings would be his best finish in the season-long race.
“Feel like I’ve had my best year out here this year,” DeChambeau said. “For whatever reason, I feel like I left a lot out there, which is pretty interesting for me, but very grateful to have had a great year out here. … I feel really comfortable with my game, as comfortable as I’ve felt in a long time.”
HATTON’S BIRDIE WALK: For the second round in a row, Tyrrell Hatton birdied the par-3 ninth. Thursday it was with a 10-foot putt. On Friday it was from 5 feet – and he walked it in. Coincidentally, that is.
“I thought I had missed it right,” he said. “I’ve been struggling with putts left to right this week. It feels like the ball is just sliding off the face so I’m not really hitting the line I want to. A little surprised to see it go in.”
Two years ago, Hatton finished second on the JCB to his Legion XIII captain Rahm. He enters this weekend tied for third at 10 under, seven shots behind Herbert. He is looking for his second LIV Golf title in a row (and third overall), after winning last month in Andalusia.
“You can see how good the scoring has been the first two days,” said Hatton, who shot a 4-under 68 on Friday. “It’s supposed to be a bit more windy tomorrow, but I still imagine the scoring will be pretty good. Hopefully I can play well and give myself opportunities.”
CASEY COMES BACK WITH BIG DRIVES: DeChambeau’s Crushers GC teammate Paul Casey returned to action this week after missing the previous two tournaments with injury. On Friday, Casey led the field in driving distance average. “Really?” DeChambeau said with a laugh. “How many cart paths did he hit? I don’t know what he did in those nine weeks off.”
He then added earnestly: “He’s always been sneaky long. It’s funny, he’s got this penetrating low ball. He’s such a great player. I’m so happy to have him back in the team. I need him. We need him in the last few weeks of this year.”
STATISTICS MANAGERS
ROUND 2
Driving distance: Paul Casey, 312.1 yard avg.
Longest drive: Dustin Johnson, 339.8 yards (8th hole). Official 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 of 18)
Scrambling: Charl Schwartzel (8 of 8), Martin Kaymer (5 of 5), Sebastian Munoz (4 of 4), 100%
Fewer putts: Peter Uihlein, 24
Bogey-free rounds: Charl Schwartzel (69), Sebastian Munoz (70), Martin Kaymer (70)
TOTAL
Driving distance: Dustin Johnson, 305.3 yard avg.
Longest drive: David Puig, 339.8 yards (10th hole, Rd. 1). Official 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)
Scrambling: Charles Howell III (9 of 10), 90%
Fewer putts: Peter Uihlein, 48
This piece was published by Mike McAllister in association with LIFE Golf.
