Chile’s fast-rising Joaquin Niemann has roared into contention for Sunday’s mass challenge for the crown at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
Ominously, defending champion Niemann sits two strokes behind the leaders. He was four strokes back 12 months ago when his shotmaking and calm claimed the title.
Niemann’s eight-under-par 64 was the low round of the 65 golfers who teed it up on Saturday on a Kingston Heath layout softened by rain but with potential slip-ups on nearly every hole.
Niemann (73-66-64) sits on 12-under with four other golfers, who are all in hot pursuit of co-leaders Lucas Herbert and Ryggs Johnston, both at 14-under.
In all, there are 11 golfers within three shots at the top of the leaderboard which promises an absorbing finish on the Melbourne sandbelt course that will host the 2028 Presidents Cup.
Australian favourite Lucas Herbert, the 36-hole leader, started Saturday with a four-stroke lead but it was gobbled up early as he trod water with an even-par 72 with a single birdie.
When American Johnston was rattling off six birdies in nine holes in the middle of his round as Herbert’s playing partner, it looked like he might take a significant lead into Sunday.
Kingston Heath had its revenge. On the par five 14th, Johnston was in the rough and ferns to the right of the fairway off the tee. He attempted a full shot to blaze the ball towards the green, rather than a conservative punchout, and paid the penalty.
His second shot was stranded in the same style of rough and he snagged his club attempting another escape and skewed his shot left across the fairway into a bunker.
His fairway bunker shot sent the ball flying through the green. He was clearly unsettled and signed for a double bogey seven.
There was still more than enough good work in his round for a 68.
Johnston is a headline writer’s dream. He’s named after Martin Riggs, the gung-ho lead character in the 1980s Hollywood movie Lethal Weapon that starred Mel Gibson as a Los Angeles policeman.
Herbert had a balanced take on a disappointing day for him.
“It was a frustrating day but I didn’t go backwards. I might have just let a few more people back in the tournament but I’m still massively in it,” said Herbert, who is chasing his first victory in the national Open.
“This is one (title) you really want to win as an Aussie. It just means so much as my home national Open.
“I went to the Aussie Masters here at Kingston Heath when Tiger (Woods) won in 2009. That’s kind of my memory. It’s funny, the course is playing soft with the rain but you’re still seeing the shots that they were hitting then almost.”
Niemann said: “I knew I had to play well because I was way behind. It ended up being a really good day (after an opening hole bogey) and I’m back in it.”
Herbert, Johnson and young Jasper Stubbs will be play in the final group on Sunday.
