An eagle at the par-5 seventh was the highlight of Herbert’s 5-under 66 that catapulted him from outside the cut-line to within two of the lead as the afternoon groups teed off at Royal Queensland Golf Club.

His Ripper GC captain, Cameron Smith, made an early move with three birdies in his opening four holes as 20-year-old South African Aldrich Potgieter assumed the front-runner position with four birdies of his own on the front nine.

If they maintain that pace it will make it hard for the likes of Herbert to make up ground in a third round that will be the tournament’s final after Friday’s play was washed out completely.

It is the first time in tournament history that a winner will be crowned after 54 holes, a format very familiar to Herbert, Smith and Marc Leishman since they joined LIV Golf.

Given the players who make the cut will have 18 holes to try and win the Joe Kirkwood Cup, Herbert believes the Ripper lads can claim some kind of advantage.

“It’s a decent change of mindset in a 54-hole event,” said Herbert.

“You play Thursday, six back, you’re not even really paying attention to it too much just because there’s so much golf to go. But, all of a sudden, you cancel the second round and now it’s like I’m six back with two rounds to go.

“It’s a different story.

“I knew I had to shoot a pretty low one today and probably play well tomorrow as well.

“It sounds easy but I think it just takes a bit of practise to get used to how aggressive to be in a three-round event.

“Yeah, there’s probably a little bit of an advantage for us.”

Smithy playing darts with the pin 🎯#AusPGA pic.twitter.com/xS4q6Bq5Ap

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An even par round in the rain on Thursday kept Herbert in the hunt and he took little time to get going on Saturday.

He birdied the par-4 12th after almost driving the green, made birdie at the par-5 15th and went to 3-under on his round with a birdie at the par-4 first.

A birdie on six was followed by an eagle at the par-5 seventh, the 28-year-old smarting after missing a short putt on his final hole, the par-5 ninth.

“It feels weird to sit here and complain about shooting 5-under, but here I am doing exactly what I just said is weird,” said Herbert, who won last week’s NSW Open.

“I’m in the tournament. Don’t know how far behind I’ll be behind come the end of the day, but I’m somewhere abouts.”

Photo: Scott Davis/PGA of Australia