Lucas Herbert Claims Open Championship Spot With Irish Open Win

In a final round which could have been won by a number of players, it was overnight leader, Lucas Herbert, who sat at the top of the pile.

The 25-year-old, who saw a number of players challenge him at the top of the leaderboard, managed to produce some outstanding golf over the back nine to add to his Dubai Desert Classic win from last year and earn himself a place at Royal St George’s in only a couple of weeks time.

Herbert fist bumps with his caddie on the 16th hole. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Starting the final day with a one shot lead over Johannes Veerman, Herbert would produce two birdies in his opening three holes.

A bogey at the 5th would be followed by four consecutive pars for the Australian, who was now tied at the top of the leaderboard with a rampaging Francesco Laporta.

The Italian, who had started his day four shots back of Herbert, was on fire midway through his final round, birdieing the 5th before a “100-1 shot” on the 6th led to a chip-in.

Another birdie followed on the 7th, with yet another chip, his fourth of the week, finding the bottom of the cup on the par-5 8th.

Laporta wasn’t done there though, as he made yet more birdies on the 9th and 10th to make it six on the bounce!

It wasn’t just the Italian who was making moves on Herbert’s lead. Veerman, who had been plodding along quietly in his final round, soon found himself in a share of the lead, with a lengthy birdie putt at the 14th finding the hole to roars that we haven’t heard on the European Tour in ages.

Despite the barrage of birdies from his opponents, Herbert would hold strong, using his experience to full effect as he rolled in a birdie putt at the 15th, before making a classy up-and-down from the bunker at the next to storm into a two-shot lead.

That lead was soon three going down the 72nd hole, with the Australian making yet another birdie on the Jack Nicklaus designed Mount Juliet course.

Walking the 18th fairway with fans swarming behind him, Herbert would par the last for a three shot victory and a ticket to golf’s oldest Major.

The win also moves the 25-year-old into the top 20 of the Race to Dubai standings, as well as making him a wire-to-wire winner on the European Tour.