Herbert holds firm at LIV Golf Virginia as Rippers extend lead

Lucas Herbert of Ripper GC tees off during the second round of Maaden LIV Golf Virginia at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, on Friday. Image courtesy LIV Golf.

From a Correspondent

Sterling Virginia: If there were any doubts about Lucas Herbert’s round one performance being unsustainable, he put them to rest emphatically on Friday.

The Ripper GC stalwart followed his opening 8 under 64 with a bogey-free 9 under 63 at Maaden LIV Golf Virginia, extending his lead to six shots at 17 under par.

It is the biggest 36-hole lead this season and ties for the second-largest lead after two rounds in the league.

Only Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia, is within nine strokes of Herbert’s lead.

“I don’t know if there’s a way that I can describe this that’s not going to sound super arrogant. Just things started coming to me easily,” Herbert said. 

“The shots that you would see into greens happened and worked the way that you saw them, and putts that you would read to break a certain way just did exactly what you kind of thought. 

“Maybe even at times you’d hit a bad shot, and you’d have judged it wrong and the bad shot now becomes good. …

“To be honest, I probably tried to enjoy it a little bit out there because I was able to see that that was happening and kind of just be able to sit back and appreciate it a little bit and understand this is pretty not normal. 

Rare feeling

“You don’t know how many times as a golfer you’re going to get to experience that kind of feeling.”

Herbert’s Strokes Gained Total average of +7.82 per round is a LIV Golf record for 36 holes. 

He gained +8.60 strokes on Friday, which is his second-best performance of his LIV Golf career, exceeded only by the +10.426 when he shot a 10-under 61 in the final round last year in Mexico City to tie for second.

“I’m going to say this golf course is probably harder than Mexico City was playing at the time,” Herbert said. 

“It’s tough to compare them. I’m sat here 30 minutes removed from that round, so it’s pretty easy for me to say right now I’m more proud of this than I am Mexico City. 

“But as time goes on, I’ll get a better appreciation for how I’ve played the last two days.”

Of course, he’s only at the halfway mark as he seeks his first LIV Golf individual win.

Garcia fired a 5 under 67 in tricky, windy conditions to sit in solo second at 11 under. His return to form has been one of the stories of the week. 

Solid stats

He ranks second in the field in Strokes Gained Off the Tee (+3.33) and third in Strokes Gained Putting (+4.56).

The Fireballs captain spoke about the difficulty of committing to shots in the swirling wind.

“I felt like I did a very good job for the conditions that we were playing.” he said. 

Cleeks GC veteran Richard Bland made the biggest move of the day, shooting a 6 under 66 to climb to solo third at 7 under, one of Friday’s best performances outside of Herbert’s.

“Hopefully I can have a strong weekend and try and give Herby a run for his money,” said the 53-year-old Bland, “but if he keeps playing like the way he’s playing, we’re playing for second.”

Paul Casey is putting together his best start of the season so far for Crushers GC, shooting a 4 under 68 on Friday to move into a tie for fourth at 6 under alongside teammate Charles Howell III and Southern Guards GC’s Dean Burmester.

Casey spoke glowingly about the challenge the course presented on a blustery afternoon.

Top track

“I’m going to say this is a major-level golf course,” Casey said. “I don’t know its history or that kind of stuff, so I don’t know if they have aspirations to ever push for that kind of event. 

“Lucas has obviously gone bananas, but apart from that, take him out of the mix, it’s a helluva challenge.”

LIV Golf’s current top three players in season-long points – Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Thomas Detry – are among five players tied for seventh at 5 under.

On the team front, Ripper GC extended their lead, moving to 21 under, six clear of Crushers GC and Cleeks Golf Club, who are tied for second at 15 under. 

4Aces GC are fourth at 14 under, with Torque GC and Legion XIII tied for fifth at 12 under. (courtesy LIV Golf)

Leaderboards

Individual Top 10

1. (-17) – Lucas Herbert, Ripper GC (64-63)

2. (-11) – Sergio Garcia, Fireballs GC (66-67)

3. (-7) – Richard Bland, Cleeks Golf Club (71-66)

T4 (-6) – Charles Howell III, Crushers GC (70-68); Paul Casey, Crushers GC (70-68); Dean Burmester, Southern Guards GC (68-70)

T7 (-5) – Thomas Detry, 4Aces GC (70-69); Bryson DeChambeau, Crushers GC (69-70); Jon Rahm, Legion XIII (69-70); Graeme McDowell, OKGC (67-72); Marc Leishman, Ripper GC (66-73)

Team Top 3

1. (-21) – Ripper GC (Herbert 64-63, Leishman 66-73, Smith 72-69, Smylie 71-77; Rd. 2 total: -6)

T2 (-15) – Crushers GC (Casey 70-68, Howell III 70-68, DeChambeau 69-70, Lahiri 75-71; Rd. 2 total: -11); 

Cleeks GC (Bland 71-66, Kaymer 72-68, Perez 68-72, Meronk 69-75; Rd. 2 total: -7)

Day 2 stats

Driving Distance: Lee Westwood, 307.2-yard avg.

Longest Drive: Sam Horsfield, 340.2 yards (2nd hole). Official measured drives taken only on holes 2 & 12.

Driving Accuracy: Talor Gooch, 78.57% (11 of 14)

Greens in Regulation: Paul Casey, Dean Burmester, Thomas Detry, 88.89% (16 of 18)

Scrambling: Lucas Herbert (3 of 3), Richard Bland (5 of 5), Dean Burmester (2 of 2), Martin Kaymer (4 of 4), Charl Schwartzel (5 of 5), 100%

Fewest Putts: Dustin Johnson, 23

Bogey-free rounds: Lucas Herbert (63), Richard Bland (66), Martin Kaymer (68), Charl Schwartzel (68)

Also read: Herbert leads in Virginia as Rippers top team leaderboard

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