Lucas Herbert will channel Australia’s last men’s major winner Cameron Smith’s final day Open Championship heroics after a miracle shot kept alive his hopes of a fairytale claret jug win.
The Australian was on the verge of a late collapse in the third round, but pulled off one of the best shots of his career to avert disaster on Royal Birkdale’s par-five 17th hole on Sunday morning (AEST).
The 30-year-old will start the final day three shots behind America’s Sam Burns (-10), one less than Smith’s deficit heading into the last round when he stormed to his Open title at St Andrews in 2022.
“We may have drawn comparisons on that walking to the 18th tee today, me and Pughy (caddie Nick Pugh),” Herbert said after a one-over 71. “I think (Smith) played two great rounds to start off the week, struggled Saturday. I think he shot 64 Sunday to get it done.
“I’d like some crossovers there if that were to work out. It would be a nice little story to go with it, wouldn’t it?”
A day after he missed a five-foot putt to set a new record for the lowest round in a men’s major with 61, Herbert watched New Zealand’s Ryan Fox (-8) match his mark with an eight-under 62 early in the third round.
Fox, who is tied second with Si Woo Kim (67), will play in the final group alongside Burns.
“When you’re out in the morning, when the wind’s down around here, there’s almost some pressure on to shoot a score,” Fox said.
Bryson DeChambeau refused to answer questions about his rules controversy when he was docked two shots during his second round for the second straight evening, posting a tidy one-under 69 in his third round to be four shots behind Burns.
He’s the only player in the top 10 on the leaderboard who has won a major.
Big guns Scheffler (-4) – who had just one birdie and one bogey during a frustrating 70 in which he laboured on the greens – and Rory McIlroy (-2) need a miracle to reel in the deficit to the leaders.
Australia’s Cameron John (-4) continued his impressive debut major with another neat one-under 69 to start the final round in tied-11th.
Adam Scott (-1) and Min Woo Lee (+2) are a long way from contention after twin 71s in their third rounds.