Australia's Lucas Herbert wins LIV Virginia title after exciting weekend

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/herbert-lucas/n9uhHG2A/"]Herbert[/a] fired a three-under par 69 to finish 72 holes on 24-under 264 at Trump National Washington in Sterling, Virginia.[/p][p]"[b]I can perform pretty damn well when things aren't perfect,[/b]" Herbert said.[/p][p]"I was feeling pretty sick when I woke up this morning, worse than the last few days.[/p][p]"[b]I had [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-sergio/fRIZumKj/"]Sergio[/a] [/b][i](Garcia)[/i][b] coming at me for 36 holes really hard and he pushed me the whole way, made me earn that one.[/b]"[/p][p]The 30-year-old Queensland resident led the final 58 holes to book a berth through LIV Golf's qualifying path into next month's US Open at Shinnecock, where he missed the cut in 2018 in his major debut.[/p][p]"[b]So many things came with winning today, I wanted to focus on winning and then spend this moment on what comes with it,[/b]" Herbert said.[/p][p]"Nice added bonus. My first major was at Shinnecock.[/p][p]"[b]Nice to go back and see what I've learned since then.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="317e6b15-52aa-43d3-ad26-ae4bd28a126e" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsa6RnCQAaM" social-type="youtube" /][p]Herbert last won a year ago at the Asian Tour's International Series Japan event. His most recent DP World Tour victory was in 2023 in Japan.[/p][p]Herbert began the day with a three-stroke lead over 46-year-old Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion.[/p][p]Garcia opened with a birdie at the first hole but Herbert answered with a birdie at the par-five second, Garcia made bogey at the par-three third and both took a bogey at the fourth.[/p][p]Herbert birdied the fifth to reach 22-under and lead by five, then both birdied the par-five sixth.[/p][p]Herbert birdied the eighth but made double bogey at the par-three ninth while Garcia reeled off three birdies in a row at the eighth, ninth and 10th to climb within a stroke.[/p][embed guid="c23b4c65-82d3-417e-a28a-6c7e13b6a9cb" url="https://x.com/livgolf_league/status/2053590102006276298" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Aussie, however, bounced back with birdies at the par-three 11th and par-five 12th and Garcia made bogey at 13 to give Herbert a four-stroke edge.[/p][p]Herbert missed a three-foot putt and made bogey at the par-three 14th and both he and Garcia birdied the 15th to keep the Aussie three ahead as rain began under dark skies.[/p][p]Herbert missed a six-foot putt to bogey the par-three 16th just before play was briefly suspended, then birdied the par-five 17th and closed with a par to complete the triumph.[/p][p]"[b]I didn't help myself, missed a few putts here and there and made it a contest late,[/b]" Herbert said.[/p][p]"[b]But after the rain delay, the way I played those eight shots, I'm so proud of that.[/b]"[/p]