Herbert tees off for country again

By Travis King
Updated November 7 2012 - 7:03am, first published February 14 2012 - 11:08am
GOLFING ACE: Lucas Herbert at the Neangar Park course.       Picture: JIM ALDERSEY
GOLFING ACE: Lucas Herbert at the Neangar Park course. Picture: JIM ALDERSEY

RETURNING home satisfied from helping Australia beat the USA in the Junior Pacific Cup in January, Ravenswood golfer Lucas Herbert hoped to represent his country again – he just didn’t realise it would be so soon.Waiting for him was an email from Australia’s golfing hierarchy informing the 16-year-old of his selection in the national team to compete against New Zealand for the Trans-Tasman Cup on March 7 - 9.To be held at the Peninsula Country Golf Club in Melbourne, the Trans-Tasman Cup pits the best male and female amateur players from each country against each other.The Trans-Tasman rivals will be represented by four men and four women aged over-18, plus four boys and girls aged under-18.Herbert has been in superb form recently and he finished runner-up at the Aaron Baddeley International in China in December.But the Neangar Park Golf Club member was surprised and elated to be selected for the Australian team.“It’s probably the biggest thing that’s happened to my career so far,” Herbert said.The Trans-Tasman Cup is a matchplay tournament – like the Junior Pacific Cup which Australia dominated to win, 10 1/2 to 2 1/2.Herbert believes playing in China and the US alongside and against some top junior golfers has helped improve his game.He is thinking about returning to the US for the World Junior Championships in July.“Every time you go somewhere your eyes are opened to the guys that are doing the same thing as you,” Herbert said.“I want to see what other juniors are out there doing. It would be great to go to the world championships,” said the Cyril Michelsen Trust Fund recipient in the Bendigo Advertiser-WIN Television Sports Star of the Year, which is sponsored by bankmecu. Herbert, who has a handicap of plus-one, will play against men in the Riversdale Cup – Australia’s second-oldest amateur tournament – at Riversdale Golf Club from tomorrow.He will play in the inaugural Central Victorian Junior Masters on February 25-26 at Neangar Park.

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