Whereas the large throng of followers on the “watering gap” at The Grange showered Chase Koepka with beer and different liquids after his gap in a single through the triumphant inaugural LIV occasion in Adelaide in 2023, Lucas Herbert was carving out a major victory for himself in Japan.
His win within the HSBC Championship boosted the lad from Bendigo into the world’s top-50 to a career-high rank of 42 and cemented his standing as a participant on the rise.
However the latest member of the all-Australian Ripper GC group who crossed to LIV originally of 2024 conceded that “none of you gave a sh*t what I did that week” as the brand new Saudi-backed tour made a worldwide impression on the game.
Watch chosen NRL & AFL video games, together with each F1 race stay in 4K on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin Your Free Trial right now
Herbert joined his new teammates on the right track on Wednesday morning and mentioned that seeing what was taking place in Adelaide created a “turning level in the entire LIV dialogue”, signalling the Saudi-backed tour’s arrival as a sound {golfing} different for gamers and followers.
So when the provide got here to hitch within the enjoyable, with that concept of enjoying in Adelaide entrance of thoughts, Herbert was eager to enroll.
“I used to be clearly thrilled myself to win, however I used to be additionally very thrilled to see the Australian public embrace the LIV Adelaide occasion the way in which they did,” he mentioned.
“Clearly, with the entire political setting round this tour, it might have gone both method with our public embracing the occasion.
“Realistically, I feel it was a turning level in the entire LIV dialogue actually, legitimatising LIV as a tour and principally saying that the conversations round these guys don’t care anymore. I feel it very a lot legitimatised this tour, that occasion.
“I don’t assume I used to be actually upset or irritated that I used to be getting consideration taken away from me up in Japan.”
Herbert was so enthusiastic in regards to the celebration ambiance in Adelaide final 12 months that he revealed he “simply purchased a brand new pair of footwear” in anticipation of any shoeys after Cam Smith carried out one with DJ Fisher.
Victory for one of many quarter of Aussies within the subject, or the Ripper group, might imply a missed flight out of Adelaide on Monday morning.
There is also a case of wanting it an excessive amount of after experiencing such a excessive final 12 months as Marc Leishman defined.
“Look, it’s the largest match we play all 12 months, and it’s in our yard,” he mentioned.
“To win it will be actually a profession spotlight and a fairly large few days to observe I’d assume.”
Headline act Smith, who completed third final 12 months, mentioned managing the locals’ expectation was an added issue to think about.
“It may well undoubtedly be a superb factor and a foul factor on the identical time,” he mentioned.
“Clearly, the assist from the followers is superb, however internally I feel generally you will get caught out simply attempting a bit bit too laborious, attempting to make a putt go in, attempting to hit a shot shut, and also you get caught out.
“I feel the prep, like I discussed earlier than, has been a bit bit higher this 12 months. We in all probability haven’t had as a lot to do outdoors the golf course, which is good, so we’ve had a bit bit extra time on the course and simply bought to deal with it like one other week, though it’s actually not for us.
“That is in all probability our largest week of the 12 months.”