Lucas Herbert showcased a hard-fought final-round display to hold off his chasing competitors and complete a victory at the Dubai Duty-Free Irish Open.
Herbert’s victory will witness him become just the third Australian winner of the Irish Open and will move him inside the world’s top 60, while all of the top three players secured their invites to the 149th Open later this month at Royal St George’s.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Herbert said. “It’s a bit fulfilling, I feel I was probably at one of my low points in my life two years ago when I played at Lahinch in the Irish Open. I feel like I’ve done full swing and to come back around and win the event is pretty satisfying.”
Herbert began the day with a one-shot lead. He then quickly widened his advantage by following a 15-foot birdie at the second by holing from a similar distance at the next, only to bogey the par-fives’ fifth after hitting his tee shot into bushes.
Forrest and Laporta finished and tied fourth alongside Richie Ramsay, Richard Bland and Dale Whitnell. Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston also finished ninth with Sean Crocker and Jason Scrivener.
A final-round 66 lifted Open champion Shane Lowry into a share of 23rd, while Rory McIlroy – the highest-ranked player in the field – bogeyed his final two holes to close a two-over 74 and end the week in tied-59th.
