Successful occasions with world rating factors is the easiest way for LIV gamers to get again within the majors and a victory in Japan on the weekend delivered Lucas Herbert an enormous a part of the bump he wants.
The Victorian began the Worldwide Collection Japan ranked 324th on this planet, a dramatic fall from his profession excessive of 40, a mark he hit in 2023, however an anticipated slide after his transfer to hitch Cam Smith’s Ripper GC staff.
His win ought to carry Herbert to 170 on this planet, along with his intentions to play in different Asian occasions aiding his rankings trigger.
Herbert has declared shifting to LIV has been the most effective transfer he’s made for his golf and he sits fifth on the breakaway tour’s particular person standings, with each the US and British Opens now providing a spot to the rankings chief not already certified.
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His five-shot win within the $3m occasion, together with three top-five finishes on LIV this season, is indicative of a participant in kind however one who additionally knew what he was signing up for when he made his transfer whereas conceding being sidelined for the majors made for some “laborious” watching.
Herbert can also be holding out hope his kind may sway main officers to ship an invite his method.
“After we got here to LIV we knew that the majors have been going to be the sticking level and it was going to be the laborious factor to cope with,” he stated,
“However it has been tough to look at Augusta the final two years and know that I used to be by no means going to get there with the best way every thing is ready up in the meanwhile.
“There’s no clear pathway to get to Augusta, so it was powerful to look at them figuring out I used to be by no means going to get there.
“I’ve had probabilities to qualify for the opposite majors although, so I can’t get too upset at that. And that was the factor that we knew after we signed up with LIV, that majors can be the problem. They’ve the precise to ask, or not invite, whoever they need.
“Clearly, I’ve been taking part in nice this 12 months and I might have beloved to have performed, however an enormous a part of why I’ve performed so properly this 12 months has been being in a staff setting with Ripper.
“I don’t suppose I might have performed in addition to I’ve this 12 months had it not have been for LIV, so perhaps I wouldn’t have been adequate to qualify for the PGA Championship with out LIV anyway. I’m seeing it each methods. It’s what it’s and there’s some guys on LIV that did get invited and that’s nice as a result of there’s some actually top quality golf being performed on LIV on the prime finish of leaderboards.”
Herbert stated he additionally felt his win was reward for effort this 12 months.
“I’ve performed rather well this 12 months, and I believe the driving force was an enormous a part of this success,” he stated
“The way in which I’ve been taking part in this 12 months, it’s been constructing to get a win sooner or later.
“It’s good to get it performed right here, particularly in Japan, which is considered one of my favorite locations. It’s good to really feel like a few of the laborious work that I put in has paid off. Holding that trophy is a fairly good feeling.”