Staff WriterLucas Herbert scripted a grandstand finish with an eagle on the par-five 18th, rallying to claim his maiden Asian Tour triumph at the US$2 million International Series Japan presented by Moutai.
The 29-year-old Australian Lucas Herbert then closed with a sizzling 64 to finish 20-under par, extending his winning margin to five shots over his nearest pursuers.
Heroics on the 18th: Back-to-Back Eagles
After drifting into contention with birdies on holes 2, 4 and 5, Lucas Herbert produced the shot of the week on Sunday at Caledonian Golf Club in Chiba.
Walking up the par-five 18th for the second day in a row, he converted a routine approach into a gravity-defying eagle, sealing a wire-to-wire victory and sending the gallery into raptures.
“I was thinking about it down on the 18th green, that finish yesterday really set it up. It would have been much tougher, I think, to play the group in front, or maybe two groups in front, had I parred in to try and come back from behind today,” said Herbert.
“Being able to tie the lead last night, and sleep thinking that I didn’t have to chase anything down today, was a big factor.
And then, very happy with the way I played today, I think it was the low round of the day, so that’s always going to make it hard to beat when you start the day tied for the lead.”
Technical Mastery: From Thrift Store Putter to Titleist Driver
Behind Herbert’s breezy 64—which featured seven birdies and only two bogeys—lay a story of equipment serendipity.
The putter that slotted 23 times into the cup was a second-hand find from a Korean thrift shop just a week ago, and his new Titleist GT3 driver (with a Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7x shaft) has been the catalyst for three top-10s on LIV Golf this season.
“I’ve played really well this year, and I think the driver was a big part of this success.
So, I’ve got to thank Tom Davies, who works on my clubs. He was the one who put it in my hands. I had other thoughts of what I might be using this year and he encouraged me to give it a go. It seemed to have worked out pretty well,” Herbert reflected.
“The way I’ve been playing this year, it’s been building to get a win at some point. So, it’s nice to get it done here, especially in Japan, which is one of my favourite places.
It’s nice to feel like some of the hard work that I put in has paid off. Holding that trophy is a pretty good feeling.”
The Chasers: Sugiura, Song and Tringale in Pursuit
Though Yuta Sugiura birdie-free until the 18th showed remarkable composure—posting a final-round 69 without a single bogey—his putter let him down when it mattered most.
He finished at 15-under, sharing second place with Younghan Song, who birdied the last to cap off a 69.
“I think I played good golf for four days. This week, my putting didn’t go as well as I wanted, but I hit some good shots, so I’m looking forward to my future tournaments,” said Sugiura.
Song, likewise, lamented missed opportunities despite a bright start.
“I started off really well, but I missed some putts at key moments and things didn’t go well on the back nine.
However, Lucas putted really well and there’s no doubt he was the better player today,” observed Song. “I played with Lucas yesterday and today.
These guys are good with their shot-making, but they’re also really good with their short games.
He wasn’t making many putts yesterday, but he made a lot of putts today. I think if I work hard on my short game, I can do it as well.”
American Cameron Tringale grabbed solo fourth with a Sunday 66—including a dramatic 15-footer for eagle on 18—finishing at 14-under, while Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (65) and Japan’s Shunya Takeyasu (67) tied for fifth at 13-under.
What’s Next on The International Series
With this wire-to-wire conquest, Lucas Herbert ascends to the top of The International Series Rankings and the Asian Tour Order of Merit, marking his first international victory in nearly two years since the 2023 ISPS Handa Championship in Japan.
The tour now shifts its sights to the International Series Morocco, teeing off 3–6 July as players vie for another elevated event on this emerging pathway into the LIV Golf League.
