Lucas Herbert delivered a dazzling final-round 68 to claim a wire-to-wire victory at the 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
The Aussie finished his final day at Mount Juliet Estate with one bogey against five birdies, including a pair of clutch gains on Nos. 15 and 17 to reach 19 under and seal a three-shot victory.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” said Herbert, who now owns two career European Tour titles, having won the 2020 Omega Dubai.
“It’s a bit fulfilling really, I feel like I was probably really 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 come back round and won the event. It’s pretty satisfying and I’m pretty satisfied stood here right now.
“The more big events that you play the better. You get more comfortable in those so I can take some more opportunities when I do get those chances.”
Herbert, who started the 2020 season ranked No. 223 in the world, will move now inside the top 60 – a career-best, following two wins in his last 22 starts.
He added, “I won in Dubai last year and how much that benefitted me winning the event rather than a top five or a top three.
“A win is so much more than a second place so I was mentally trying to keep that at the forefront of my mind today – a win is a lot bigger than just a good finish and I was proud to finish the way I did.”
Swede Rikard Karlberg shot a final-day 67 to secure the silver spot on 16 under, one clear of American Johannes Veerman, who carded a Sunday 71.
Herbert, Karleberg, and Veerman claimed the three available qualifying spots for the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St George’s.
Francesco Laporta was not so fortunate, as the Italian, who was 16 under through 17 holes, found water on 18, resulting in a double bogey-6 to drop back to 14 under alongside Englishmen Richard Bland (67) and Dale Whitnell (69) and Scotsmen Grant Forrest (68) and Richie Ramsay (68).
American Sean Crocker (68), England’s Andrew Johnston (69) and Aussie Jason Scrivener (69) rounded out the top-10 finishers.
2021 DDF Irish Open
Final-Round Leaderboard: Top-10
Pos-Player-To Par (Rd 4)
1. Lucas Herbert -19 (-4)
2. Rikard Karlberg -16 (-5)
3. Johannes Veerman -15 (-1)
4. Richard Bland -14 (-5)
4. Grant Forrest -14 (-4)
4. Richie Ramsay -14 (-4)
4. Dale Whitnell -14 (-3)
4. Francesco Laporta -14 (-3)
9. Sean Crocker -13 (-4)
9. Jason Scrivner -13 (-3)
9. Andrew Johnston -13 (-3)
Notables
Pos-Player-To Par (Rd 4)
12. Thomas Pieters -12 (-3)
12. Andy Sullivan -12 (-2)
17. Tommy Fleetwood -10 (-1)
23. Shane Lowry -9 (-6)
41. John Catlin -5 (+2)
41. Martin Kaymer -5 (+1)
51. Nicolas Colsaerts -4 (-1)
56. Graeme McDowell -3 (+2)
59. Rory McIlroy -2 (+2)
Material from the European Tour Communications was used to compile this report.
