Lucas Herbert will take a four-shot advantage over Bryson DeChambeau entering this weekend at LIV Golf United Kingdom Presented by JCB. The next closest pursuer is Tyrrell Hatton, but he’s seven shots behind.

Herbert, who went wire-to-wire in Virginia two months ago to claim his first LIV Golf title, hopes he and DeChambeau can continue to separate from the field, leaving them to go toe-to-toe in Sunday’s final round. Only one other scenario would please the Ripper GC star more.

“Would love to make it a two-horse race with Bryson on Sunday,” Herbert said. “Or maybe a one-horse race if I can.”

The way Herbert is playing now, no one doubts he could run away from the pack. The 30-year-old Australian followed his course-record 11-under 61 in Thursday’s opening round with a 6-under 66, fueled by an impressive back-nine response after DeChambeau overtook him for the lead midway Friday at JCB Golf & Country Club.

At 17 under, Herbert has the tournament in his hands; as a proven front-runner, he’ll be difficult to reign in. Even so, he remains cautious about his chances with 36 holes to play.

“I’ve seen this happen before where it feels like there’s only two of us in the tournament and everyone kind of gets caught up in that story and other guys come back in,” said Herbert. “I can think of Anthony Kim winning in Adelaide earlier this year when everyone thought it was the Bryson and Jon [Rahm] show there on Sunday. We’re only halfway. We have a lot of golf to go.”

DeChambeau, at 13 under after his 5-under 67, knows the challenge will be difficult, especially given Herbert’s current form. Last week, Herbert was the 36-hole leader at The Open Championship after tying a men’s major record with his second-round 62. He eventually finished T6, the best finish of his major career.

Asked what it will take to catch Herbert, DeChambeau replied with a laugh: “Just shoot 10-under-par both days. That’s what it feels like I’ve got to do. Him being four ahead, it’s not going to be an easy task. … It’s going to be a great battle, no matter what. I hope I can give him a battle.”

DeChambeau can at least draw on the first half of Friday’s round when he made up a three-stroke deficit to take the lead. DeChambeau was a bogey-free 5 under through 10 holes, while Herbert’s putter went cold, as he missed three par putts, each within 3 feet or less.

When DeChambeau birdied the par-5 10th while Herbert scrambled for par, the Crushers captain led by one. But the 9-foot par-saving putt by Herbert on that hole was a positive sign. He then birdied the par-4 12th after driving the green, eagled the par-5 13th with a 33-foot putt, and made a 10-foot birdie putt at the party-hole 14th to re-establish his multi-shot lead. He added another late birdie at the par-3 17th.

“It was not my best stuff out there,” Herbert said, “but that back nine, kind of hung around long enough to see my chance to take the lead again come to fruition.”

DeChambeau, meanwhile, played the final eight holes in even par, negating two birdies with two bogeys. That’s left him with plenty of work as he seeks his third individual win of the season while also hoping to make up ground against points leader Rahm in the season-long Individual Championship race.

“I’ve got to focus on playing some really good golf, not making too many mistakes out there,” he said. “I made too many on the back nine today.”

He can’t afford too many more this weekend. Meanwhile, Herbert is glad to be in the final group with DeChambeau for the second consecutive round.

“I actually really enjoy it,” Herbert said. “I’m glad I’m playing with him again tomorrow. He’s had some great support out there. There’s a lot of fans out there watching our group, which was pretty awesome. It’s a privilege to have him out here because he’s bringing a lot of eyeballs and a lot of fans, which we love doing around the world.”

TOP OF THE LEADERBOARDS

Individual Top 10

1 (-17) – Lucas Herbert, Ripper (61-66)

2 (-13) – Bryson DeChambeau, Crushers (64-67)

3 (-10) – Tyrrell Hatton, Legion XIII (66-68)

T4 (-9) – Byeong Hun An, Korean (67-68); Harold Varner III, OKGC (66-69)

T6 (-8) – Cameron Smith, Ripper (69-67); Peter Uihlein, RangeGoats (69-67); Dean Burmester, Southern Guards (70-66)

T10 (-7) – Caleb Surratt, Legion XIII (68-69); Anirban Lahiri, Crushers (68-69)

Team Top 3

1 (-37) – Ripper GC (Herbert 61-66, Leishman 68-68; Smith 69-67; Smyth 71-69; Rd. 2 score: -18)

2 (-28) – Crushers GC (DeChambeau 64-67, Howell III 68-70, Lahiri 68-69, Casey 73-69; Rd. 2 score: -13)

3 (-19) – Legion XIII (Hatton 66-68, Surratt 68-69, McKibbin 73-70, Rahm 73-70; Rd. 2 score: -11)

ROUND 2 NOTES

RIPPERS’ CARROT-CUTTING CONTEST: Fueled by tournament leader Lucas Herbert, the all-Australian Ripper GC are a cumulative 37 under and have a nine-stroke lead over Crushers GC. Perhaps partial credit should go to the inventive way the team is relaxing after rounds.

All four players – Herbert, captain Cameron Smith and teammates Marc Leishman and Travis Smyth (who is filling in for injured Elvis Smylie) – are staying in the same house. So are the caddies and some team staff. Following Thursday’s opening round, the group played a game created by Smith in which each person chopped a carrot in two. The winner is the one who can cut two pieces that weigh the closest to each other.

“Very competitive,” Herbert said Friday. “… I don’t know what he’s got planned tonight, some sort of knockout round-robin extravaganza. I’m sure that will entertain us and get our mind off the golf.”

Herbert said those kinds of fun activities are beneficial, especially in his position with the lead. Without LIV Golf’s team concept, he’d have to deal with the pressure by himself.

“One of the funnest things about the team golf aspect,” he said. “I think our team is one of the best. We have some of the best camaraderie with those sorts of things. Yeah, I feel pretty fortunate to be included in that.”

DECHAMBEAU MAKING UP GROUND: Bryson DeChambeau still has plenty of points to make up in order to apply some heat on Jon Rahm, who currently leads the season-long points race as he chases a third consecutive Individual Championship.

But with DeChambeau in solo second at 13 under while Rahm is tied for 31st at 1 under, DeChambeau can at least prevent Rahm from clinching the title this week.

“I’m sure he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with the next couple of days and in New Jersey as well [in Bedminster at LIV Golf New York, the league’s next tournament],” said DeChambeau.

Rahm and DeChambeau each have two wins this season, but Rahm’s consistency has provided a healthy advantage. Even if DeChambeau fails to catch him, a second-place result in the final standings would be his best finish in the season-long race.

“Feel like I’ve had my best year out here this year,” DeChambeau said. “For whatever reason, I feel like I’ve left a lot out there, which is quite interesting to me but very grateful for having a great year out here. … I feel really comfortable with my game, as comfortable as I’ve felt in a long time.”

HATTON’S BIRDIE WALK: For the second consecutive round, Tyrrell Hatton birdied the par-3 ninth. On Thursday, it was with a 10-foot putt. On Friday, it was from 5 feet – and he walked it in. Accidentally, that is.

“I thought I’d missed it right,” he said. “I’ve been struggling with left-to-right putts this week. Feels like the ball’s just slipping off the face, so I’m not really hitting the line I want to. Bit surprised to see that one go in.”

Two years ago, Hatton tied for second at JCB behind his Legion XIII captain Rahm. He enters this weekend solo third at 10 under, seven shots behind Herbert. He’s looking for his second consecutive LIV Golf title (and third overall), having won last month in Andalucia.

“You can see how good the scoring’s been the first two days,” said Hatton, who shot a 4-under 68 on Friday. “It’s meant to be a little bit windier tomorrow, but I still imagine the scoring is going to be pretty good. Hopefully, I can play well and give myself opportunities.”

CASEY RETURNS WITH BIG DRIVES: DeChambeau’s Crushers GC teammate Paul Casey returned to action this week after missing the previous two tournaments with an injury. On Friday, Casey led the field in driving distance average. “Really?” DeChambeau said with a laugh. “How many cart paths did he hit? I don’t know what he was doing in those nine weeks off.”

He then added with seriousness: “He’s always been sneaky long. It’s funny, he has this piercing low bullet. He’s such a great player. I’m so glad to have him back on the team. I need him. We need him for the last few weeks of this year.”

STATS LEADERS

ROUND 2

Driving Distance: Paul Casey, 312.1-yard avg.

Longest Drive: Dustin Johnson, 339.8 yards (8th hole). Official measured drives taken only on holes 8 and 10.

Driving Accuracy: Byeong Hun An, 85.71% (12 of 14)

Greens in Regulation: Byeong Hun An, Carlos Ortiz, Thomas Pieters, Scott Vincent, Paul Casey, Jon Rahm, Cameron Tringale, Sebastian Munoz, 77.78% (14 of 18)

Scrambling: Charl Schwartzel (8 of 8), Martin Kaymer (5 of 5), Sebastian Munoz (4 of 4), 100%

Fewest Putts: Peter Uihlein, 24

Bogey-free rounds: Charl Schwartzel (69), Sebastian Munoz (70), Martin Kaymer (70)

OVERALL

Driving Distance: Dustin Johnson, 305.3-yard avg.

Longest Drive: David Puig, 339.8 yards (10th hole, Rd. 1). Official measured drives taken only on holes 8 and 10.

Driving Accuracy: David Puig, 78.57% (22 of 28)

Greens in Regulation: Caleb Surratt, 83.33% (30 of 36)

Scrambling: Charles Howell III (9 of 10), 90%

Fewest Putts: Peter Uihlein, 48

This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf.