Lucas Herbert holds a four-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau after the second round of LIV Golf UK, presented by JCB. Herbert, who began the day sharing the lead with DeChambeau, shot a 6-under-par 66 on Friday to reach 17-under for the tournament at JCB Golf & Country Club.
DeChambeau, playing in the same group as Herbert, is second at 13-under after shooting a 5-under-par 67. Tyrrell Hatton is in third place, seven shots behind Herbert.
Herbert, the winner of the LIV Golf Virginia event two months ago, expressed a desire to create a two-man race with DeChambeau for Sunday's final round, or ideally, a one-man show. The 30-year-old Australian followed his opening-round 11-under-par 61 with his second-round performance, which included a strong back nine after DeChambeau had briefly taken the lead.
"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," Herbert said, referencing past events where he felt the narrative focused too narrowly on top players while others surged. "We’re only halfway. We have a lot of golf to go."
DeChambeau acknowledged the challenge of catching Herbert, who also held the 36-hole lead at The Open Championship last week, finishing T6. "Just shoot 10-under-par both days. That’s what it feels like I’ve got to do," DeChambeau said with a laugh when asked what it would take to catch Herbert. "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 made up a three-stroke deficit in the first half of Friday's round, going bogey-free through 10 holes while Herbert missed three short putts. DeChambeau took a one-stroke lead when he birdied the 10th hole as Herbert made par. However, Herbert regained the lead with a back-nine surge that included an eagle on the par-5 13th and birdies on the par-4 12th and par-3 17th.
DeChambeau played the final eight holes in even par, with two birdies and two bogeys, leaving him with ground to make up. He is seeking his third individual win of the season and is looking to gain points on season-long points leader Jon Rahm. While DeChambeau has two wins this season, Rahm's consistency has given him an advantage in the championship race.
Herbert is pleased to be paired 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."
In team play, Ripper GC, Herbert's team, holds a nine-stroke lead over Crushers GC, DeChambeau's team. The Ripper GC players have been engaging in team-building activities, such as a carrot-cutting contest, to foster camaraderie and manage the pressure of competition.