A two-time runner-up on Tour who has been troubled by a long-term wrist problem, Lyras sits at 9-under-par after rounds of 67-68 on the St John course at Heritage Golf and Country Club to be ahead of playing partner Will Florimo and Cameron Harlock.

It was only a week ago that Lyras secured a start via an invite for the penultimate tournament of the 2025/26 season, his first competitive golf since the Queensland PGA Championship in October.

After a “flare up” with a wrist that has previously had surgery, he’s undergone some swing and gym work changes, but isn’t surprised to be leading after 36 holes despite only starting to hit balls in January for the first time since his layoff.

“I’m just trying to rebuild my engine for the game,” he said after a Friday round that featured an eagle and six birdies.

“It just hasn't been there enough for me over the last three years or so. That's really the focus going forward at the moment.

“I've played good golf at home and I know that once I get my swing into a place where I'm comfortable with it, I can produce shots that I need to, when I need to.

“I was certainly able to do that today. That was really, really awesome to see a couple of shots come out the way they did for sure.”

One of those carefully planned shots came on his second last hole, the par-4 eighth, where the Sydney professional’s approach shot landed in the centre of the green before spinning left down the slope for a tap-in birdie to break out of the tie with playing partner Florimo and Harlock.

They will comprise the leading group on Saturday, all chasing their first victory on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

Florimo had four top-threes in 2025, including being beaten in a playoff at the NSW Open, while Harlock’s best finish in his rookie season came at Webex Players Series South Australia where he tied for ninth.

“That's still goal number one,” Florimo said of winning on Tour.

Harlock, who came into this week ranked No.42 on the Order of Merit, can claim to be the only player to conquer the toughest hole on the St John course, the 201m par-3 17th, by making birdies on both Thursday and Friday.

In the opening round, the penultimate hole gave up just three birdies, averaging 3.36 strokes, while today there were nine twos.

“That's probably the most demanding tee shot on the course. (You’re) saying to yourself, just get up there and hit a good one,” Harlock said.

“There's no point shying away from tough holes out there, but at the same time, there's no reason why a tough hole can't produce the greatest shot of the day.”

The New Zealander’s two on 17 today was set up by a 6-iron to around 15 feet and was his sixth birdie for the round, only offset by a solitary bogey on the par-4 14th.

Florimo and Harlock are one shot ahead of American Chris Malec (70), while co-overnight leader Declan O’Donovan (72) is in a group of five players at 6-under-par.

In the chase for the Order of Merit title, No.2 Cameron John rebounded from a horror double-bogey, quadruple-bogey start to finish the 36 holes on 2-under-par after carding a 75 to be one shot behind frontrunner Travis Smyth (72).

No.3 James Marchesani (1-over) and No.4 Christopher Wood (10-over) missed the halfway cut to end their chances of taking the OOM title.

 
Heritage Classic
The Heritage Golf and CC (St John Cse)
Prizemoney: $250,000
TV times: Live 4pm-7pm AEDT Saturday; Live 2pm-7pm AEDT Sunday on Fox Sports Main Event and Kayo Sports.