LUCAS Herbert had lost his touch, and some of his confidence, when he called on his Queensland-based coach Dom Azzopardi to fly to the US in April for some one-on-one attention.
Herbert, a multiple winner on the DP World Tour and a US PGA Tour winner before joining LIV, had started the 2026 LIV season well – top 10s in Riyadh, Adelaide and Hong Kong.
But he’d missed out in his next three LIV starts and was keen to get his game back on track before the majors came around.
Azzopardi is not the sort of coach to disclose anything he said to any of his stable of players – certainly not to a golfer of Herbert’s stature.
Rather, he prefers to explain what happened next as a natural progression, something that comes with maturity and experience, the culmination of a decade or more of hard work.
Whatever the reason, from that moment on Lucas Herbert’s game soared. So much so that, right now, he’s clearly Australia’s best player – arguably one of the best in the world. And, at 30, he’s really just getting started.
At his next appearance after that week with Azzopardi, Herbert won the LIV Tour’s Virginia event, played at the Trump National Golf Club in Washington.
Herbert set up the victory with extraordinary opening rounds of 64 and 63, before weekend scores of 68 and 69 rewarded him with a four-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia.
Lucas Herbert returns home for the Australian golfing summer following a successful 2026 campaign.
That victory earned him a start in the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. He missed the cut there, but a fortnight earlier he had notched up another top 10 on the LIV Tour – this time in South Korea.
Herbert’s strong form in Australia last summer had gained him an entry into the Open at Royal Birkdale in July.
After a solid opening round of par 70, the young Australian played a magnificent Friday round – an eight-under-par 62 that tied the best round ever recorded in a major golf tournament.
Weekend rounds of one-over 71 saw him finish tied sixth – his best performance in a major, to be sure, but one that left him just a little disappointed.
That was a feeling that lasted only a few days. The following weekend he completed an astonishing performance – shooting rounds of 61, 66, 69 and 62 for an emphatic six-stroke victory in the LIV Golf UK event at JCB Golf and Country Club in England.
Along the way he set a course record, recorded the lowest winning score in LIV Golf history (30 under), and collected the most birdies and eagles (30 birdies and two eagles) in any LIV tournament.
Even his opponents were left open-mouthed. “Just invincible,” said Bryson DeChambeau, who played with him in the final round. “I beat fourth place by four shots and Lucas beat top 5 by 16 shots. I don’t think that’s ever been done in golf history. It was quite amazing.”
A modest Herbert said after his victory: “Last week (the Open) gave me a lot of confidence that I can mix it with the best guys. It was one of those weeks, just when you needed a good break. I played great this week, but also, I got a lot of good breaks, which is really nice. It’s good to take advantage of those when they come.”
With his UK win, Herbert joined DeChambeau and points leader Jon Rahm as two-time LIV winners in 2026.
Back home on the Sunshine Coast, where he operates teaching academies at Peregian Springs and nearby Noosa Springs, Dom Azzopardi was equally measured about his star pupil’s exceptional form.
“He’s at an age now where he’s really matured,” Azzopardi said. “He’s got great teammates in his (Ripper) team, and he loves the team environment. He’s worked very hard for a long time and it’s really paying off.”
Lucas Herbert of Ripper GC hits his shot on the 11th hole during the final round of MAADEN LIV Golf Virginia at Trump National Golf Club on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in Sterling, Virginia. (Photo by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf)
But even Azzopardi was stunned by the excellence of his win at JPC. “Thirty under par,” he said. “They couldn’t get near him. He’s certainly the in-form Aussie.”
Azzopardi was equally pleased that, despite the limited opportunities for world ranking points for LIV golfers, Herbert’s form had seen him reach the top 50 – a mark that would get him starts in next year’s majors, including the US Masters.
“The events he plays for the rest of this year will be aimed at giving him the best opportunity to retain that top 50 ranking,” he said.
Herbert will be back for the Australian summer, with his eyes on the Australian Open, Australian PGA Championship, as well as some of the smaller events.
“Lucas is really proud of what he’s done to give back to the game in Australia,” Azzopardi said.
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