MELBOURNE, Australia – Lucas Herbert regained the lead after the second round of the Australian Open as 17-year-old South Korean amateur Hyojin Yang birdied her final hole to take the lead at the women’s Australian Open, which is played concurrently on two courses at the tournament. Melbourne’s famous sandbar.
The tournaments use alternating tee times – and with prize levels for the second year in a row – at the par 72 Kingston Heath (par 73 for the Women’s Open) and the par 71 Victoria Golf Club.
First-round leader Herbert shot a two-round 66 at Kingston Heath on Friday for a two-round total of 14-under 129 to take a four-stroke lead into the weekend, when only Kingston Heath will be in action.
Herbert had three birdies in a row on the back nine but said he was scratching it.
“It was pretty windy and there were some tricky shots on that back nine,” Herbert said. “I’m really proud of those last three or four holes.
American Ryggs Johnston was second after a 68 in Victoria. Elvis Smylie, who won last week’s Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland, shot a 64 at Kingston Heath and was tied for third, five strokes behind Herbert.
Fellow Australian and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith shot 72 at Kingston Heath and had a poor run on the back nine after his group, which included Smylie, was cautioned for slow play. Smith trailed his LIV Golf teammate Herbert by eight strokes after two rounds.
Smith had bogeys on 10, 12 and 15, as well as a double bogey on 16 at Kingston Heath, which will host the 2028 Presidents Cup.
“We got the clock out there and it didn’t seem like we were playing that slow and it was like we were just rushing,” Smith said. “I think I made some really bad mental decisions that led to some bogeys. You get on that train in that wind and it’s not a good place to be.”
Defending men’s champion Joaquin Niemann had a 66 at Victoria on Friday and was 4-under by 10 strokes.
At the Women’s Australian Open, Yang shot a 71 at Kingston Heath and had a two-round total of 9-under 136 for a one-stroke lead. Jiyai Shin was tied for second after a 68 at Kingston Heath.
Hannah Green, winner of the 2019 Women’s PGA Championship, finished with a two-birdie 71 in Victoria, two strokes back in fourth place.
“It was nice to finish with at least two 5 pars and get two birdies to finish with a positive result and a good pace going into the weekend,” Green said.
Defending women’s champion Ashleigh Buhai shot a 68 and was 4 under, five strokes behind. At one point in the first round, the South African fell nine strokes off the lead.
LPGA Tour regular Minjee Lee shot a 74 in Victoria and was 3-over, while her brother, PGA Tour player Min Woo Lee, had a 69 in Victoria and was 3-under.