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Lucas Herbert drained a final-round eagle in a flawless eight-under-par 63 on Thursday to lead the Australian Open in Melbourne and ahead of LIV Golf teammate Cameron Smith, who trails by two.
In the women’s tournament, Australian Su Oh shared a one-shot lead with South Korean teenager Yang Hyo-jin ahead of overall winner Hannah Green.
From 10, Australian Herbert made six bogey-free birdies before his sensational eagle propelled him into the lead in the second event of the 2025 DP World Tour season.
He finished with a lead over Rintaro Nakaro – Japan’s 2023 amateur champion – and American Ryggs Johnson, with 2022 British Open champion Smith a shot further back in a four-way tie.
The mixed Australian Open involves men and women playing in alternating groups on the same courses.
Kingston Heath, in Melbourne’s famous sandbelt region, is the main venue for all four days, with Victoria Golf Club also hosting matches on the first two days.
“I felt like there were a lot of shots left,” Herbert, a three-time winner on the European Tour, said after negotiating soggy fairways and soft greens.
“I feel like that every round of golf, to be honest, but I didn’t really think I did that much. I just hit it pretty good.”
Nakaro was the early leader with eight birdies, but his round was marred by a bogey at the last.
“I’m surprised but very happy,” said the 21-year-old, who plans to turn professional next year.
– Portrush places at stake –
Smith, who finished second at the Australian PGA Championship last week, has yet to win the Australian Open and has made no secret of his desire to do so.
He was one over after three, but then made six consecutive birdies to stay in the hunt.
“I mean, the greens are soft and there wasn’t much wind this morning, so a lot of these par fives played really short whereas usually you have a hole facing the wind or something like that ” he said.
“So yeah, I was just able to enjoy it.”
At stake for the men is a place at next year’s British Open at Royal Portrush, with the top three earning a place.
Chilean defending champion Joaquin Niemann, Smith and England’s Jordan Smith are already exempt.
Niemann, also on the LIV Tour, had a day to forget with 73 while Smith had 70.
Australian Su made nine birdies on her 66 to lead the women’s field alongside Yang, just 17 years old.
But they have Green, a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour this year, breathing down their neck.
“I worked really hard the last few months and I felt like I was hitting the ball a lot better and just being happy and proud,” Su said.
South African defending champion Ashleigh Buhai struggled to reach 73 to find herself seven adrift.
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