12 players within four shots at Australian Open
Ryggs Johnston in action today – image Australian Golf Media
Victorian Lucas Herbert and American Ryggs Johnston have a share of the 54 hole lead at the ISPS Handa Australian Open at Kingston Heath in Melbourne the pair tied at 14 under and two shots ahead of a group of five players at 12 under, namely two recent Asia Pacific Amateur Champions Jasper Stubbs and Wenyi Deng, Finland’s Oliver Lindell, last week’s Australian PGA Champion Elvis Smylie and defending champion Joaquin Niemann.
Herbert had begun the third round with a four shot lead over Johnston but a lacklustre round of even par 72 saw Johnston take the lead with six birdies through 12 holes before a double bogey at the 14th.
The pair traded blows over the closing holes to retain their share of the lead and tomorrow Herbert will chase his first national title while 24-year-old Johnston, currently ranked 945th in the world, looks to get his DP World career of to the best possible start after gaining his card at the recent tour school.
Johnston played on the PGA Tour of the America s in 2024, mostly in Canada, after a very successful collegiate career at Arizona State.
That he has been able to adapt to the Melbourne sandbelt in such a manner speaks volumes for his game and headspace although tomorrow will be tested to the max.
As to the pressure he will face, Johnston was quick to defend his capacity to handle what he will face tomorrow.
“For a while now I’ve been in pretty high pressure situations trying to get my card through Q School. That final round is one of the most pressured. I mean, it’s a different type of pressure there and I did pretty well. So I just try to take that with me and use it as something we’ll look back on to kind tell myself that, ‘hey there, a lot of people watch it and a lot of pressure, but you can still do this’.
“I think I might have gotten a little lucky this week with the golf course playing as soft as it is and not typical sandbelt conditions and more of the golf we are used to back in the starts so it is probably working in my favour a little bit as it makes it a new course for everyone.”
Herbert recently won the NSW Open to claim his first professional title in Australia and tomorrow he chases the title most players want to win outside of a major, his national open.
Herbert was forced to play second fiddle to Johnston today as the American took full advantage of the many opportunities he created for himself after an early bogey.
“A little bit frustrating, but sort of no ground lost really, said Herbert. “I’m still in the lead, might just let a few more people back in the tournament, but still leading, still where I want to be. So yeah, good result from a frustrating day, I guess.
Herbert, though, is a proven winner on both the PGA and DP World Tours but he not only has Johnston to worry about tomorrow but the host of other players of who there are 12 within four shots of the lead and that he is chasing a title of such significance to him.
“It’s been tricky not to walk past the honour board in the clubhouse in there and see the last couple of names that are on that from winning major tournaments here. So that’s probably the other thing about today was maybe it got more frustrating because I really want to win this.
“It looks so easy for Ryggs who doesn’t probably care about the Australian Open as much as I do, with no disrespect to him. It just means so much being my home national Open, I’d love to put one of these on my resume.”
Jiyai Shinn chasing a second Australian Open title – image Australian Golf Media
The Women’s Australian Open is being led by 2013 champion and one of the most prolific title winners internationally, Jiyai Shin. Her round of 67 has her two ahead of Australia’s leading world-ranked player, Hannah Green, and the winner of this event in each of the last two years, Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa.
Recently turned Queensland professional Justice Bosio gave evidence of her potential when she took the lead during the round but eventually finished with a round of 73. At 8 under par, she is six shots from Shin’s lead.
South Korean Simon Seungmin Lee won the All Abilities Championship.
