Lucas Herbert made six birdies and an eagle on his way to a five-under 67 in the first round of the Australian PGA Championship, at RACV Royal Pines, in Queensland. Picture by GETTY IMAGES
LUCAS Herbert carded six birdies and an eagle at RACV Royal Pines Resort to share the first round lead at the Australian PGA Championship with compatriot Brett Rankin.
The pair are two of nine Australians inside the top 14, joined by five New Zealanders on three-under par or better on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
After two birdies and an eagle on his first three holes, 24-year-old Herbert rallied again after three dropped shots.
Herbert, who recently recovered from a wrist injury, made four gains on his back nine, including three on his final four holes from the sixth to the ninth, to sign for a five-under 67.
“It was an interesting day,” said Lucas Herbert. “I usually set myself targets, numbers-wise, but I didn’t today.
“I let everything go and enjoyed being out there. The course is in great shape, I just enjoyed being out on a nice golf course with one of my best mates on the bag.
“That was on my mind, I didn’t feel like I got off to a great start, but then I didn’t feel like I fell too far backwards because I wasn’t concentrating on that either.
“My iron play was pretty good. That’s improved quite a lot in the last few weeks. Good flight in the wind out here, it was a bit breezy on the back nine,” Herbert added.
“It was solid. I didn’t throw shots away with silly doubles, if I stop throwing shots away I’ll go alright.”
Herbert finished 107th on the Race to Dubai in 2019, having been 47th in his rookie season in 2018, which included five top fives – the best a runner’s-up finish in the Portugal Masters.
The big-hitting Aussie and fellow countryman Rankin sit one stroke ahead of five others, including Herbert’s fellow European Tour members Nick Cullen, Min Woo Lee and Wade Ormsby.
Min Woo Lee, who narrowly missed out on keeping his card in his rookie season on the European Tour, said: “I think early on I didn’t really take the opportunities because there’s a big crowd – and I’m not really used to it.
“But yeah, it’s pretty special, added Lee, the younger brother of LPGA star Minjee Lee.
“It’s massive. I hit a lot of good shots – some got rewarded, some didn’t get rewarded, but I felt like I played pretty good and I’m pretty proud of the way I finished.
“It was pretty calm this morning, so hopefully tomorrow morning I can go out there and shoot a low score,” added Lee, who became the first Australian to win the US Junior Championship, in 2016.
The Lees became the first brother and sister to claim USGA junior titles after MinJee’s victory in the 2012 US Girls Championship.
Fox in top 10 with eyes on Order of Merit
NEW Zealand’s Ryan Fox could secure the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit crown this week.
The Kiwi, who leads by almost AU$75,000 from Zach Murray. Fox, won his maiden European Tour title at the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth in February,
Fox – the longest driver on the European Tour in 2019 – shares eighth place on three-under. He said: “I’m pretty happy.
“It’s playing a bit tougher than previous years. The course has settled in a little bit and it’s a little bit firmer out there. You can end up in some pretty bad spots.
“I played really solid tee-to-green. Got up-and-down on a couple of bad shots I hit and made a couple of putts – I probably left a couple out there as well.
“But I’m very happy with three-under,” added Fox.
Adam Scott lurks with Cink three shots back
MAJOR champions Stewart Cink, winner of The Open at Turnberry 10 years ago, and Adam Scott, who won the Masters in 2013, share 15th place on two under.
Scott, the highest-ranked player in the field, but who is looking for his first win since the 2016 WGC Cadillac Championship, at Doral, said: “I played good today.
“Unfortunately, I really mishit that drive on 13 and it cost me two. Other than that it was stress-free, but it wasn’t easy out there.
“I had a lot of in-between numbers. When it’s windy here you have to be careful, you don’t want to be chipping short-side around here.
“The grain is too much to deal with. I wish I could have that swing on 13 over again.
“All in all, I feel good about that round,” added Scott, who has 10 wins on the European Tour and five more Down Under.
Joining Scott and Cink on that number are Challenge Tour graduates Calum Hill, from Scotland, and Lancashire’s Jack Senior.
Qualifying school graduates Aaron Cockerill and Johannes Veerman, from Canada, and the United States respectively, and France’s Damien Perrier, are also two-under after the first round – three behind Lucas Herbert and Rankin.
•For live scoring in the Australian PGA Championship click here.
