Lucas Herbert has broken through for his first professional win on Australian soil, defeating a star-studded field in challenging conditions to take the Ford NSW Open here at Murray Downs in a dramatic final day of golf.
Starting two shots back after a pair of disastrous double-bogeys on the back nine yesterday which surrendered his lead, Herbert came out firing today with an equipment change at the heart of his new-found confidence, with his putter again the difference under pressure.
The boy from Bendigo shot rounds of 65, 65, 72 and 67 to win by two shots from Ripper GC captain and team-mate Cam Smith. Herbert’s final round included birdies on the third, eighth and ninth holes to turn in three-under 32 to grab a share of the lead. He bookended a bogey on the 13th with birdies on 12 and 14 to hold a two-shot lead with three holes to play.
This was about as close as it got, and when Smith bogeyed 17, it was all over. Herbert negotiated the par-four 18th uneventfully, and when Smith failed to hole his approach shot.
Herberts joins an illustrious group of Australians to have his name etched on the Kel Nagle Cup, a list which includes the names Greg Norman, Jim Ferrier, Ian Baker-Finch, Bob Shearer and Jack Newton among many others.
His win in the Ford NSW Open, now the third biggest golf event in Australia with a purse that has doubled in the past five years, was built off the mental toughness and maturity he gained from a year on the LIV tour, where he and Smith joined with Marc Leishman and Matt Jones to win the Team Championship for 2024.
Fierce winds, debris, a sand storm which briefly halted play, some lightning, a small period of rain, and charging talent in the form of Corey Lamb, Alex Simpson and 2022 NSW Open champ Harrison Crowe, at the end of the day it was Herbert who made the Kel Nagle Cup his own with a display of brilliant golf.
“Yeah, pretty special.” Herbert grinned when asked how it felt to take the title.”There’s a very good contingent of Bendigo crew here this week.
“I know it’s a NSW Open, but it feels like a home event really.
“For a lot of guys from Bendigo it’s the closest thing I’ll play to a tour event. So very special to win in front of all my friends and family in here as well.”
The biggest challenge was the conditions, at times winds of up to 60km/h lashed the course – vastly different to what players experienced on moving day yesterday when Cam Smith, the overnight leader, told the media he actually “preferred” playing in 37-degree heat and buffeting northerlies.
“I feel like I did everything I needed to do, but just couldn’t hole anything,” Smith said.
“There were a few gusts. I didn’t feel like I hit bad putts, but it was pretty comical in the end. It just wasn’t my day. I felt like I had 85 putts out there,” Smith lamented.
Cult hero, Corey Lamb, who’s family and friends jumped in their cars from Mudgee and elsewhere with hand-written signs and social media on full blast once the boy from “Brango” climbed into the final group yesterday, brought the colour and excitement as the loveable 23-year-old fought for his breakthrough win on Australian soil. Alas it wasn’t to be, the putting stroke he is becoming known for eluding him when it mattered the most.
Alexander Simpson, playing on the biggest stage of his career, could only manage a one-under round to finish at -12 and in a tie for second alongside Smith and Lamb.
Jack Buchanan, already a two-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia sailed home with a 69 to finish tied for fith alongside Kiwi Josh Geary, who could get nothing going all day, shooting a teo over 73.
Queenslander Jack Munro has six birdies and three bogeys in his round of 68 to finish at minus 8 and four-way tie for 7th. Other notable round of the day cam from Worlds Sand Greens Champion Brett Rankin had three birdies on his front nine to make the turn in 32, but matched a pairt of bogey on the back to finish with one of the best rounds of th day at mins three for the day and for -8 for the tournament.
Further back and with so much to fight for, Brett Drewitt – the 10-year veteran of the US PGA and Korn Ferry tours – could only manage a four-over par round to finish -4 in a tie for 24th.
As expected Jye Halls took home the medal for lowest amateur, in fact the only amateur left in the field after Friday evening, with a solid round of -2 to be at -6 for the tournament. The 19-year-old from Mollymook on the NSW South Coast shot even or better in every round this week. Not bad for a youngster who works at Woolworths during the day and practises at night.
“It gives me confidence for my next start,” Halls said, noting that an improvement in his putting was the key. “It was really solid, I played some nice golf and happy to make the cut. My putting has been solid all week. I’ve been working on that all year.”
The victor, however, is Herbert. One of Australian sport’s brightest young stars, and now a champion with his name etched in history.
STORY: DAVID TEASE | GOLF NSW