With the 2025 PGA Championship almost upon us, I have to ask a serious question: Did someone post Lucas Herbert’s invitation to the wrong address?
Herbert, 29; the youngest member of Cam Smith’s Ripper GC on LIV Golf, is fast becoming one of the biggest improvers in all of world golf.
His results this year at the half way mark of the 2025 LIV Golf season make impressive reading. Currently sitting in 5th on the LIV Golf standings, Herbert has managed 3 Top 5 finishes in Riyadh, Hong Kong & a podium second place in Mexico City.
He is the top-ranked Ripper GC team member this year; impressive considering this is a team that boasts 2022 Open champ, Cameron Smith and 2025 LIV Miami champ Marc Leishman. Herbie’s consistency in his rookie season last year saw the team take out the 2024 team championship.
This season, he has made some key improvements on his game, most notably with his putting, averaging 1.54 putts per hole this year, placing him 3rd in the league for putting average. With all four players scores counting toward the team score this season, this has been a key factor in Ripper GC currently sitting in 4th on the overall team standings.
Last weekend saw the Aussie take his maiden Asian Tour win with a commanding 5-stroke margin, shooting -20 under at the International Series event in Japan. A country which by the way, Herbie claimed his 3rd European Tour win just 2 years ago. Oh and also, this was a 4-round event, before I’m met with the familiar chorus of “LIV golfers only play 3 rounds with no cuts”.
Lucas Herbert plays a shot from a bunker. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Now sitting on top of the International Series Standings, Herbert also shares a joint lead with fellow LIV rising star; Carlos Ortiz on the Asian Tour order of merit standings for this season, on the back of his recent win in Japan, a T8 in Macau & a T21 at the New Zealand Open.
With LIV players seemingly having to look for other avenues for major qualification, Herbie looks to be doing all he can by playing events outside of the LIV Golf schedule. Last year’s result in the Australian Open should also not be forgotten, where he finished T5, which included a blistering opening round, bogey-free 63 on the Victoria Golf Club course, finishing the tournament equal with Torque GC skipper Joaco Niemann and ahead of fellow Aussies, Cam Smith & Min Woo Lee.
Lucas Herbert. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
With the major tournaments seemingly building a bridge in the great golf divide, it’s been refreshing that this week we will see the PGA of America extend invites to Dustin Johnson, Tom McKibbin, David Puig, Patrick Reed, Joaquin Niemann and Sergio Garcia on top of the players that qualify as past champions or through major exemptions.
It is confusing that Lucas Herbert’s name hasn’t been added to this list, especially considering it’s only Garcia and Niemann’s names that appear above him in the LIV standings.
Herbert has been playing far better golf than his current “Official World Golf Ranking” of 167 reflects, and with fresh talks rumoured to be held between the OWGR and LIV Golf, hopefully a player such as Lucas Herbert would benefit significantly should the ranking body grant points to LIV players. Until this happens, it seems it’s just a matter of “keep doing what you’re doing” for the Victorian.
His exclusion hasn’t gone unnoticed in golf circles but Herbert has been magnanimous when quizzed about being overlooked. With many believing it’s only a matter of time before he breaks through for an individual LIV Golf win, here’s hoping it will also make him an undeniable choice for future majors.
Chris Buccinihttps://www.theroar.com.au/2025/05/14/confusing-this-aussie-golfer-is-running-hot-so-why-has-he-been-snubbed-for-the-pga-championship/‘Confusing’: This Aussie golfer is running hot – so why has he been snubbed for the PGA Championship?
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