The opening round of the Australian Open at the Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne delivered high drama, with local favorite Lucas Herbert capping his stellar 8-under 63 with a stunning eagle on the final hole to vault to the top of the leaderboard. Herbert’s heroics put him two strokes clear of compatriot and reigning British Open champion Cameron Smith, setting the stage for a thrilling hometown duel over the weekend.
Herbert’s Hot Round Fueled by Closing Eagle
Playing on a rain-softened course that saw players able to fire aggressively at the pins, Herbert took full advantage. His round caught fire on the back nine, with a string of birdies propelling him up the leaderboard. But it was his eagle at the last, where he drained a lengthy putt, that sent the gallery into a frenzy and staked him to the outright lead.
Herbert later quipped that attacking the flags on the normally firm Melbourne sandbelt was almost “sacrilegious,” but Mother Nature left him no choice. “It’s great condition-wise, it’s just soft and slow, which I know they wouldn’t want here,” he acknowledged. With more rain in the forecast, low scores could continue to be the order of the day.
Smith Lurking After Sizzling 65
But Herbert will need to keep the pedal down with a surging Cameron Smith in hot pursuit. The world No. 3 and newly minted Open Champion wasted little time in his return to home soil, posting a 7-under 65 that was highlighted by a scintillating run of six straight birdies. Smith agreed that the gettable conditions could see the winning score approach 20-under par.
“The course is definitely gettable. The greens are soft, and there wasn’t much wind out there this morning. A lot of those par fives played really quite short. If it stays like this, it’ll probably be close to 20-under (to win) if there’s no wind, which is crazy.”
Cameron Smith
Chasing Pack Includes Elvis and Hot Am
A pair of young guns are among those giving chase after 18 holes. 19-year old Japanese amateur Rintaro Nakano fired a 65 at Kingston Heath to share second with American Ryggs Johnston. Last week’s Australian PGA Championship winner Elvis Smylie opened with a 70 and remains within striking distance.
In the concurrent Women’s Australian Open, hometown hopeful Su Oh shot a 66 to share the lead with Korean amateur Hyojin Yang at 7-under par. Oh played at Kingston Heath while Yang tackled Victoria. Among the notable names in the women’s field, Hannah Green sits third after a 67 while U.S. star Minjee Lee struggled to a 74.
Eyes on Kingston Heath This Weekend
After playing the first two rounds spread across the two host courses, both fields will come together at Kingston Heath for the final 36 holes on Saturday and Sunday after the 36-hole cut. Kingston Heath is slated to host the 2028 Presidents Cup matches between the U.S. and International teams.
While the wet conditions are likely to persist, golf aficionados will no doubt be relishing the chance to see world-class players take on one of the most renowned courses in the famed Melbourne sandbelt. And with homebred stars Lucas Herbert and Cameron Smith leading the way, Australian fans have plenty to cheer about. The stage is set for a compelling ISPS Handa Australian Open over the final 54 holes.
