[PHOTO: Richard Martin-Roberts/R&A/Getty Images]
LIV Golf star Lucas Herbert led the field at West Lancashire in final qualifying for the Open Championship, clinching the qualifier by a shot to make it nine Australians in the field at Royal Portrush in two weeks’ time.
Herbert finally sealed a place in The Open after narrowly missing out on opportunities at the Australian Open, the New Zealand Open and the International Series Macau earlier this season.
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Despite a dropped shot at the last, an eight-under-par total of 136 was enough for the Victorian to clinch first spot ahead of Sampson Zheng, the runner-up in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne, who finished one shot behind.
Herbert was the lone Australian across four qualifying venues to earn a place at The Open to be played July 17-20, Sydney’s Kevin Yuan missing out on the playoff at West Lancashire by a single shot after making birdie at his final hole.
Queensland amateur Billy Dowling finished two strokes out of the playoff at West Lancashire, Daniel Gale was tied 24th at Royal Cinque Ports, Hayden Hopewell tied 29th at Dundonald Links and Jake McLeod tied 30th at Bernham & Burrow. Also playing at West Lancashire, Harrison Crowe was tied 53rd.
This will be Herbert’s fifth appearance at The Open, after finishing T-51 in 2018, T-15 in 2022 and suffering missed cuts in 2021 and 2023. He has played in only one of the past seven major championships (T-43, at the 2024 PGA).
“I’m super-excited to be going to Portrush. I love playing in The Open,” Herbert said.
“For us Australians, it was the major we watched overnight growing up. It’s really cool be playing in another one and joining my [Ripper GC] teammates, Cam Smith and Marc Leishman, there.
“I’ve made it hard on myself just missing out on qualifying before now, but I’ve finally got there. I had chances in Australia, Macau and New Zealand and I couldn’t finish it off, so it’s definitely tested my patience. I’m glad it’s held out in the end.”
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Herbert joins the eight Australians who had already secured places in golf’s oldest championship:
• Cam Smith (2022 Open champion)
• Adam Scott (Top-10 finishers from the 2024 Open)
• Jason Day (Top 50 players in the OWGR for Week 21, 2025)
• Min Woo Lee (Top 50 players in the OWGR for Week 21, 2025)
• Elvis Smylie (Top five players from the OWGR’s International Federation Ranking List)
• Marc Leishman (OQS – Australian Open)
• Curtis Luck (OQS – Australian Open)
• Ryan Peake (OQS – New Zealand Open)
