Lucas Herbert wouldn’t reveal the scale of his sign-on charge for LIV Golf, keen solely to say he’d been “taken care of nicely” having been satisfied the Saudi-backed league had grow to be a special beast after Jon Rahm joined.
One of many worst-kept secrets and techniques in golf was confirmed on Thursday when the 28-year-old Victorian was locked-in because the fourth and ultimate member of Cameron Smith’s all-Australian Ripper GC crew a few days out from the season-opening occasion in Mexico.
He’s amongst additions that embody Masters champ Rahm, on a deal value in extra of $500m, and Englishman Tyrrell Hatton for greater than $60m.
These are head-swirling figures, and whereas Herbert, regardless of being a four-time winner around the globe, together with on the PGA Tour, was not in that class, he revealed he didn’t even assume he was “on their radar” earlier than being approached by LIV final December.
There would have been seven figures concerned in his supply, and he’ll even be taking part in for $30m, the prize cash on supply at every LIV occasion, 14 occasions in 2024, together with in Adelaide, with no cuts, guaranteeing a payday at each occasion.
Herbert, who has been ranked as excessive as 40 on this planet, might make upwards of $2.5m in 2024 even when he comes final 14 occasions, which is unlikely.
That certainty, in addition to taking part in in opposition to Rahm, Smith, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson each week, and the understanding that comes with a locked-in schedule, with Herbert having diminished standing on the PGA Tour in 2024 and nothing assured in 2025 and no direct entry to the majors, mixed to sway him, in addition to conversations with Smith, to make the massive profession swap.
“I had a assure I used to be going to play in opposition to some actually, actually good gamers at each occasion. I wasn’t going to play in opposition to the stronger fields on the PGA Tour. That was an enormous factor for me,” Herbert stated from Mexico on Thursday morning.
“I had one yr left on a winner’s exemption and I wasn’t within the signature occasions.
“The cash I bought provided was very, very good. It helped with a little bit of safety given it’s seemingly I’m going to get suspended from the PGA Tour, so I wanted slightly little bit of a security internet and these guys have been beneficiant sufficient to try this.
“And $30m occasions each week, it ought to permit me to set myself up for the remainder of my life taking part in out right here. We needed to verify I used to be taken care of nicely sufficient.
“However the greatest deciding issue was how I used to be going to get my sport nearly as good because it might presumably be … that’s what mattered probably the most.”
Herbert is aware of the flow-on impact can be a sliding world rating, given LIV occasions don’t entice factors, which means he’ll must attempt to qualify for the one two majors that permit LIV gamers, the British and US Opens.
However with loads of shifting components within the golf world, together with ongoing talks with LIV’s Saudi backers a couple of merger, that would additionally change.
It’s not the scenario now, nonetheless, and after a difficult yr off the course in 2023, which included taking a month off after lacking the minimize on the British Open, Herbert additionally stated the crew setting, surrounded by fellow Australians, even in restricted time in Mexico this week, had set a “vibe” he felt would assist him produce his finest golf.
“It’s a really cool vibe I’ve walked into,” he stated, becoming a member of Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones within the outfit.
“You could as nicely name it crew Australia. The boys are telling me they grow to be rock stars for per week in Adelaide.
“We’ve been to dinners thus far collectively and there can be a bunch of different stuff we do to hang around, and what we’ve all loved on the highway is having an Australian spin on all the things.
“Wherever you would possibly journey on this planet, with the ability to put an Aussie spin on it, you actually really feel at house, and getting onto a crew of Australians, you’re going to get loads of that.”
Herbert and 2022 Australian Open champ Adrian Meronk have been confirmed as the ultimate additions to LIV’s roster for the season, which begins at Mayakoba from Friday.