Lucas Herbert’s grip on the Australian Open has loosened, setting up what promises to be a thrilling final round in Melbourne. The Australian now shares the lead at 14-under with American Ryggs Johnston, who’s proving he belongs despite being ranked 953rd in the world.
Johnston shot an impressive 4-under 68 on Saturday at Kingston Heath, while Herbert could only manage an even-par 72.
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"A little bit frustrating," Herbert admitted after watching his outright lead disappear. "But I’m still in the lead. I might have just let a few more people back into the tournament."
The 24-year-old Johnston, who hails from Montana, caught fire early with six birdies in 12 holes before a costly triple-bogey seven at the par-5 14th stopped him in his tracks.
It’s a pretty remarkable position for Johnston, who just recently earned his DP World Tour card through qualifying school. That experience, he says, is helping him handle the pressure.
"For a while now I’ve been in pretty high-pressure situations," Johnston explained. "That final round of Q-school is one of the most pressured, and I did pretty well."
The day’s best performance came from defending champion Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean fired a sizzling 64 to vault into contention, now sitting just two shots back after starting his round 10 strokes behind.
He’s got company. Four others are also at 12-under:
- Last week’s Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie (69)
- Finland’s Oliver Lindell (69)
- Australia’s Jasper Stubbs (68)
- China’s Wenyi Ding (68)
Meanwhile, former Open champion Cameron Smith continued to struggle, shooting a 76 that left him 12 shots off the pace. It’s been a disappointing homecoming for the Australian, who’ll finish his four-tournament Australian swing without a victory.
In the women’s tournament, being played simultaneously, Jiyai Shin of South Korea has taken control. Her 67 on Saturday put her at 14-under overall, two shots clear of Australia’s Hannah Green.
The overnight leader, 17-year-old South Korean amateur Hyojin Yang, had a tough day, shooting 76 to fall eight shots behind.
Defending champion Ashleigh Buhai remains in the hunt after a 67 put her four shots back in third place.
The tournaments are making history at Melbourne’s famous sandbelt courses, offering equal prize money for the second straight year. Kingston Heath, which will host the 2028 Presidents Cup, is being used for the final two rounds after sharing duties with Victoria Golf Club earlier in the week.
