Australian Open: Lucas Herbert faces showdown with Jason Day

Lucas Herbert is getting his head around that every shot as a professional player has a dollar value on it.

Lucas Herbert plays from the pine bark at the 18th hole during his round of 66 which took him to the top of the Australian Open leaderboard. Picture: AAP

The ambitious and explosive Lucas Herbert gave a revealing ­insight into the challenges of being a struggling young professional before he attempts to stare down former world No 1 Jason Day at the Australian Open as US star Jordan Spieth refused to concede defeat ahead of his make-or-break third round in Sydney today.

Melbourne’s 21-year-old Herbert holds a one-stroke lead from Day at The Australian Golf Club after firing a blistering five-under par 66 yesterday to be nine-under for the tournament. Day scribbled his signature on an ominous 68 that included four straight birdies on the back nine to have him ­salivating at the showdown to come. He’s threatening to mow down the unheralded but prodigiously talented Herbert like a prize thoroughbred overpowering a relatively weak field and the shock leader conceded his high-profile playing partner’s presence in this afternoon’s marquee group is a ­potentially intimidating factor in front of a forecast 10,000-strong crowd.

Herbert spoke openly about the pressure of leading the Open last year before fading because of mental and physical exhaustion; trying to control a phenomenal power game that knows no bounds when it’s not going out of bounds; and getting his head around the fact that every shot as a professional has a dollar value on it.

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He’s 11th on the Australasian Tour of Merit list with earnings of $90,804 this year. He collected $40,800 of that last week when he finished second at the NSW Open. The winner of the Stonehaven Cup will find a $225,000 cheque in it. Day’s career earnings stand at $US38.3 million ($50.27m).

“Money, I haven’t got much of that,” Herbert said. “Although after last week, I’m all right. As an amateur you stand there on that 1st tee and you’re like, you could hit it in a five-yard slot. And then you stand up there as a pro and now it’s for your living, and you’re like please hit the ball. Please make contact and don’t be a YouTube hit. Once money is involved, that’s a massive challenge. Money’s a big one. I was really struggling on the Friday of tournaments because I knew that was cut day. When the bank balance is down, Fridays start getting pretty nervous.”

He added: “I made money from the end of last year and I went and bought a TV and I went and bought a couch. I was like man, I earned that. I practised hard and I earned that. You feel really good about even the little things. You go out for breakfast, I earned this.”

Asked what it would mean to lift the Stonehaven Cup, he replied: “Jeez, you’re asking questions I haven’t even thought about the answer to. I think it’s everyone’s dream to win their home Open, isn’t it? But I’m very aware of, especially one player (Day) teeing off this afternoon, who I’ve got to beat first. And there’s 154 other players I have to beat as well. It’s just the same processes going into tomorrow. I know that’s so cliche but yeah, I haven’t even thought ahead to the prize-giving ceremony on Sunday yet.”

Herbert led after the opening round of last year’s Open before finishing tied for 20th behind ­Spieth. “Every time you’re up near the lead you learn so much, more mentally because by Sunday afternoon I was wrecked.” he said. “I was in the lead from nine holes on Thursday morning to Sunday afternoon. It takes so much out of you to be there. I learnt a lot out of that. I don’t need to waste a lot of energy thinking about it. Just that self-belief … I can play well and I’m proving that to myself. I’ve seen Jordan on the range and on the putting green this morning. It’s like, he’s just another guy. He’s not this big thing, this big idol, he’s just another guy out there.”

Day said winning his first Open would ease the pain of an otherwise winless year on the USPGA Tour.

“Hopefully, trying to put a little bit of pressure on the guy I’m playing with tomorrow,” Day said. “I don’t know too much about Lucas. I know he’s a big boy. He’s obviously got a lot of game. We’re all out there with a lot of stress and just trying to get through the day. If he just embraces it, you never know, he may come out and shoot the lights out. I’m planning on him playing well. Me and Lucas are going to play a little matchplay against each other … to have the Stonehaven Cup on the mantelpiece would be great. I don’t want to win just one of these. I want to win multiple Stonehaven Cups. ”