How playing with the world’s best inspired this recent Tour winner

Australian Lucas Herbert is quickly becoming one of the best players in the world. Currently ranked No. 44, the 26-year-old has three big-time victories on his resume: two on the DP World Tour and, most recently, his maiden PGA Tour win at the Bermuda Championship in October.

And while things have been coming together for Herbert in recent months, his ascendant play didn’t happen overnight. On this week’s episode of Off Course with Claude Harmon, Herbert explained how playing alongside the world’s best helped spur him to his own big achievements.

“Early days, I would have played with Justin Rose a bit,” Herbert began. “And Rosie’s a phenomenal iron player. Not that he’s got a weakness, but phenomenal iron player. And that’s always been, probably, my weakness, is that 150 to 200-yard range. You get a golf course where you’re leaning a lot on that and I’m like — it’s not a strength of mine. Even to now, that’s something I’ve got to get better at.

Instruction

“I played with Jason Day on the weekend at the Aussie Open one year, and that was also kind of eye-opening too, because I was like, I really feel like I can beat this guy — not every time, but I can beat this guy on the day,” Herbert continued. “And probably before that, I don’t know how good these guys are. It’s one thing to watch them on TV but it’s another thing to watch them hit the shots you’re hitting under the pump as well.”

Herbert said Day was No. 7 in the world at the time, and it was encouraging to believe he could hang with him.

“I’m not there yet, but I can see myself getting to that level,” he said.

Adam Scott was another player Herbert logged time with during practice rounds.

“I played a lot with Scotty as well. There’s another phenomenal iron player,” Herbert said. “If you’re gonna model how you play golf, that’s not a bad guy to pick.”

For more from Herbert, including how a change in mindset led to his breakthrough win, and what he believes are the pros and cons of learning the game on Australian courses, check out the full interview below.