Lucas Herbert produced a brilliant battling final round 68 to win the Irish Open by three shots at Mount Juliet.
After opening up with rounds of 64, 67, and 70, the 25-year-old Australian began the final day with a one-shot lead, and while he extended that to three in the early stages, with birdies at the second and third holes, a bogey at the sixth and a run of four scrambled pars saw him turn in 35 and he was soon caught at the top of the leaderboard by Francesco Laporta.
The Italian had begun the final round four shots back and fell further behind with an opening-hole bogey, but six consecutive birdies from the fifth, including two chip-ins and a 40-foot putt, saw him jump into contention. However, a run of seven straight pars from the 11th and a double bogey at the 18th, where he found water with his approach, saw the Italian’s hopes sink.
Herbert produced a wonderfully composed performance down the stretch, coming home in 33 to finish with a 19 under par, three clear of nearest challenger Rikard Karlberg, who birdied three of his last four holes, with American Johannes Veerman a further stroke back in third after two late bogeys.
Herbert’s victory sees 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.
English pair Richard Bland and Dale Whitnell, Scots Grant Forrest and Richie Ramsay and Laporta finished in a tie for fourth on 14 under.
Further down the leaderboard, reigning Open champion Shane Lowry finished tied 23rd, while Rory McIlroy struggled over the weekend and finished in share of 59th.