A Stellar Performance at Trump National
Lucas Herbert, unlike some of his LIV Golf colleagues, is not competing in next week’s PGA Championship. However, the Australian golfer is making a strong push to secure a spot in the US Open. His recent performance has been nothing short of remarkable, with an impressive round that could potentially put him in contention for a major tournament.
Herbert delivered another exceptional round, surpassing his opening 64 with a nine-under 63 at Trump National in Potomac Falls on Friday. This performance elevated him to 17-under for the tournament, six strokes ahead of second-placed Sergio Garcia and 10 shots clear of England’s Richard Bland.
This level of success is relatively new territory for Herbert, who has yet to win a title in LIV Golf but has achieved victories on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour. Despite this, he remains composed and focused on the moment.
“It was kind of one of those days—probably 36 holes, two of those days—of things that probably just come easy in some respects,” Herbert shared. “To be honest, I probably tried to enjoy it a little bit out there because I was able to in the moment see that that was happening and kind of just be able to sit back and appreciate it a little bit and understand this is pretty not normal.”
The timing of Herbert’s performance couldn’t be better. A win would qualify him for the US Open, as he is projected to land in the top three of the individual season standings. The top three as of May 18 will receive exemptions to the major.
During his round, Herbert managed nine birdies and nine pars without any mistakes. He recorded six birdies in a seven-hole stretch from holes 6 to 12, followed by two more birdies to conclude the round.
Herbert spent time on Thursday night with his wife and her family, choosing to focus on something other than his first-round lead. “It was kind of good to get away from the fact that I was sitting on a two-shot lead there and think about something else for a while,” he said. “I think we might be doing something pretty similar the way it worked out overnight.”
His stellar score also helped the all-Australian Ripper GC team build a six-shot lead over Crushers GC and Cleeks Golf Club in the team competition. Team Ripper, featuring Marc Leishman, Elvis Smylie, and captain Cameron Smith, is at 21 under.
Leishman, who was tied second after his opening 66, had a one-over 73 and is tied seventh at five under. Cameron Smith is at three under after his 69, with Elvis Smylie (77) at four over.
Sergio Garcia had a strong finish to his round, birdieing holes 14, 16, 17, and 18. This included a 19-foot birdie putt followed by a 14-footer at the par-3 14th and 16th holes. “I felt like, if I could shoot three under, it would be a really nice round and stuff. I managed to shoot five, and I’m still far away from the lead,” Garcia said.
Bryson DeChambeau and Spanish star Jon Rahm each shot 70 and are part of the tie for seventh at five under as they prepare for next week’s PGA Championship.
