Ryggs Johnston (-14) leads the ISPS Handa Australian Open in a true youth revolution. The 24-year-old American has climbed to the top of the leaderboard after overcoming a four-shot deficit in the third round and delivering a card of 68 strokes at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
However, despite having signed a round at par, Lucas Herbert (-14) remains at the top of the Australian table, seeking his fourth victory on the DP World Tour and his first national open in Melbourne. He started this Saturday with a four-shot lead that has vanished.
Johnston leads, Wenyi Ding (-12), Elvis Smylie (-12), Jasper Stubbs (-12) and, in another order, Oliver Lindell (-12) are the rookie gang turning the Australian Open upside down. They are all playing their first tournaments on the circuit, and it’s their first season with full DP World Tour rights. This Sunday, they will fight for victory; in Smylie’s case, it could be his second consecutive win.
The Chilean and defending champion Joaquín Niemann (-12), also third, coming from behind with the best round on Saturday, 64 strokes, seeks to set things straight, and along with Herbert, will try this Sunday to quell the rebellion started by Smylie just a week ago. Let’s go in order.
Ryggs Johnston is barely playing his second regular tournament in the first division of the European circuit after earning his rights through the School at the beginning of the month at Infinitum Golf Club. Ryggs deserves special credit as he had to play all three phases of the Q School and finished in the top ten in each of them.
He could well have arrived as the sole leader on Sunday of this Australian Open, but an unfortunate double bogey on the 15th hole of the Australian course prevented it. The day was immaculate after six birdies, four of them consecutive, but a bad shot from the tee opened too much to the right and fell directly into some bushes. From there, he tried to recover position, but each shot became more complicated than the previous one. Seven strokes, double bogey, and a shared lead with Herbert.
On the tournament podium is the great Chinese promise Wenyi Ding (-12). The 20-year-old player, who earned his rights through the Global Amateur Pathway, is playing his second tournament on the DP World Tour as a professional and continues to show the great level he possesses in his bag of clubs. Just a month ago, he turned professional, and after a third round of 68 strokes, he will fight in the final round for victory. The Asia Pacific Amateur champion continues to break down doors at a rapid pace, and who knows if we will see him lifting the trophy in Melbourne this Sunday. A player made of different stuff, and one to keep on the radar if his name wasn’t already noted in capital letters.
Elvis Smylie (-12) is another who is in a state of grace and seems to have arrived to stay. After winning the BMW PGA Australian Fortinet last week, the 22-year-old player started the first round in Melbourne with a modest round of one under par, pulled off a great round of 64 strokes on Friday, and continued the comeback in the third round, also being third after signing 69 strokes this Saturday. His compatriot Jesper Stubbs (-12), who is the same age as Smylie, is also third.
Alongside these names is the Finnish Oliver Lindell, who at 26 years old continues to demonstrate the great form he has been in over the past five months. The Finnish player ended the year with eight consecutive top tens on the Challenge Tour, which allowed him to ascend to the first division of the European circuit. In his first tournament of this season on the DP World Tour, he finished in a commendable top 25, and this week he wants to get back on track for at least another top ten finish. He is third, just two strokes behind the tournament leaders.
As for the Spaniards, the day has not been particularly favourable. Alfredo García Heredia (PAR), the best Spaniard after reaching the halfway point of the tournament, has suffered the claws of Kingston Heath and delivered a painful card of 78 strokes, which has caused him to drop many positions and fall to 55th place.
Manu Elvira (-5), Ángel Ayora (-5), and Sebastián García (-5) are tied at five under par after three rounds of 72, 71, and 70 strokes, respectively. The trio will seek a round under the radar this Sunday that allows them to climb from 33rd place as many positions as possible. Just one stroke behind and with an identical objective is Iván Cantero (-4), who signed 71 strokes this Saturday.
