Date: January 18, 2019
Author: Martin Blake

Luck, Herbert run hot

 

 

Curtis Luck began his 2019 thrust on the US PGA Tour with a sparking 64 in California, and across the ditch, Lucas Herbert caught fire in the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi tournament.

It was a big day for a couple of the young lions of Australian golf today.

Perth’s Luck, 22, had missed three consecutive cuts before Christmas. But the break did him some good; he had three consecutive birdies on the front nine and eight for the day in a bogey-free 64 at the LaQuinta course that in other circumstances, might have seen him in the lead in the Desert Classic.

As it happened, veteran Phil Mickelson made everything including chip-ins to shoot a remarkable opening-round 60 to lead by four shots.

Playing his first season as full member, Luck is coming off a fabulous amateur career and is outright third.

Herbert had started his 2019 European Tour campaign quietly on Wednesday with a 71. But on Thursday he was the ‘Herby’ of 2018, when he started the year with no playing rights only to seize his European Tour card. He shot a 65 in the second round with eight birdies and a bogey to soar into a share of ninth place at eight-under.

Just 23, Herbert is four shots behind the leader, Ireland’s Shane Lowry.

Western Australian Jason Scrivener also shot 65 to be in the mix as well. But fellow WA pro, Minwoo Lee, could not capitalise on his invitation to make his first start as a professional, shooting 72-71 and missing the cut.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship carries a $US7 million prize purse and the field includes Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Tommy Fleetwood.

On the Asian Tour’s Singapore Open, another young Australian is prominent. New South Wales professional Travis Smyth began with a 68 in tricky conditions to be within two shots of the lead after the first round.