As Australia’s Lucas Herbert moved into the lead on day two of the ASI Scottish Open, it was not lost that there was a fellow Australian walking with Herbert around the Renaissance course to the east of Edinburgh.
Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley is one of the real characters working for SKY Sports Golf and he’s brought a down-to-earth approach to on-course TV commentary whether on the European Tour or PGA Tour.
Of course, there’s many a time when Radar has left his fellow commentators speechless as he has with some of his comments but then he also left an interviewer speechless in being interviewed ahead of capturing the 1995 Scottish Open at Carnoustie.
With a round to play at Carnoustie, the venue hosting its first big tournament since Tom Watson defeated Australia’s Jack Newton to capture the 1975 Open, Riley was leading by five shots from Nick Faldo, with Colin Montgomerie a shot further back in third – two of the then big guns on the Tour giving chase.
“So Wayne?”, asked this BBC TV interviewer.
“You have Nick Faldo and Monty lying second and third, and it’s like the cream of the tournament now rising to the surface?”
Radar was into his 11th year on the Tour and had just second place finishes to his credit but his response to the question was pure Wayne Riley:
“Well, it’s alright for you to say that but I’m leading the tournament, so I must be at least thick milk!”
Suffice to say, the BBC interviewer had no comeback.
Herbert is not in Radar’s league when it comes to wise cracks but then the Victorian-born golfer knows how to win on the European Tour and he showed that on Australia Day (January 26th) earlier this year in winning in a play-off to capture the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Now the 24-year old is in prime place to win again.
Herbert birdied four holes in succession from his second hole on route to a six-under par 65 to be in the clubhouse leading by a shot at 11-under par following an opening round of 66.
“I’m pretty happy. To be honest I turned up here on Wednesday and hit it all over the place. Sort of not really expecting too much the last few days, but it’s kind of all come together nicely, and yeah, pretty happy,” he said.
“My iron play has been really good. Yeah, honestly, I’ve not really had to rely on the other parts of my game too much, which I usually do, but yeah, iron play has been great.
“I’ve given myself a lot of chances, could have easily been another four or five better if I had have rolled more putts in, but that’s just been great, which has taken the pressure off, and I haven’t had to get it up-and-down from ball washers to try and save pars.”
Should Herbert capture the Scottish Open he will, in fact, become the fifth Australian to do so in this year’s 38th hosting of the event
1973 – Graham Marsh (St. Andrews)
1990 – Craig Parry (Gleneagles)
1991 – Peter O’Malley (Gleneagles)
1995 – Wayne Riley (Carnoustie)
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