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Unheralded American Ryggs Johnston has produced a front-nine birdie blitz to snatch the lead midway through the Australian Open third round in Melbourne.
Little-known and lowly ranked American Ryggs Johnston has blazed through the front nine to snatch the Australian Open third-round lead in wet and wild Melbourne.
The world No.954 reeled off five birdies in six holes at Kingston Heath Golf Club to surge to 15 under and past halfway leader Lucas Herbert.
As the heavy rain eased, Herbert reached the turn at even for the day to stay at 14 under, one behind surprise packet Johnston.
Hailing from Montana, the DP World Tour Qualifying School graduate only arrived in Melbourne on Monday after finishing in a tie for 43rd at last week's Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.
The 24-year-old then played this week's other host course, Victoria Golf Club, on Tuesday and had planned a practice round at Kingston Heath on Wednesday before the weather intervened.
Despite going into Thursday's opening round "pretty much blind", Johnston carded eight birdies - including five in a row from the 12th - and a single bogey to reach seven under par and sit one shot off the lead.
He started Saturday's third round four behind Herbert but hit the lead by the eighth hole after producing yet another stunning birdie blitz.
Looking to add the Stonehaven Cup to the NSW Open crown he won three weeks ago, Herbert bogeyed the fourth hole but retrieved the shot with a birdie on the ninth.
Swiss world No.445 Joel Girrbach earlier snared the clubhouse lead at 10 under with a seven-under 65.
Out in the first group of the day, Girrbach cashed in on the relatively easy conditions before the rain started to pelt down.
A defiant Cameron Smith had insisted a maiden Open crown remained in touching distance despite suffering a sour end to his second round on Friday.
But after teeing off eight shots behind Herbert, the 2022 British Open champion dropped another three strokes to slump to three under and a tie for 47th.
The extraordinary collapse came after Smith dropped from solo second midway through his second round to a share of 18th entering the weekend.
