Bendigo-born touring professional Lucas Herbert is one of the top-ranked golfers in the world.
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Each week he walks the fairways and plays against some of the world's elite players.
Now the third highest ranked Australian male golfer behind Cameron Smith and Adam Scott, it's safe to say Herbert is well and truly now a household name.
However, he hasn't forgotten his humble roots back to the days less than a decade ago when he was an amateur Bendigo golfer with a dream to make it to the big stage.
Now with two DP World Tour titles and a win on the PGA Tour to his name, he wants to ensure the next generation of players have the same opportunities he received.
Herbert, who is ranked 49th in the world, will give back a large portion of his prize money to support Golf Australia's Give Back initiative which aims to future-proof elite amateur programs within the country.
"I'm absolutely rapt to be part of this," Herbert said.
"I had no hesitation when I heard about it. I've been very lucky to have benefited from the state and national programs when I was an amateur and a young professional out of the Bendigo area, and I'm forever grateful for that.
"Having made my way to the PGA Tour, this is the least I can do to help, and I love the fact that the money will go straight back into the same programs that helped make me who I am today."
Herbert is the second Australian golfer to support the program behind Minjee Lee.
Golf Australia general manager high performance Brad James said the program was starting to have an impact on pathway programs throughout the country.
"We're so thankful to players like Lucas and Minjee for the contribution that they've made and for the fact that they have done it so willingly," he said.
"Providing developmental opportunities via international competition, camps, coaching and service provision is a key element of what the national program delivers.
"The additional funding from the Give Back program allows us to deliver these advantages to a larger cohort of athletes."
Teeing up in Scotland
On the back of a T9 finish last week at the Irish Open, Herbert is now in the second week of a three-tournament stint in Europe which finishes with the iconic British Open at St Andrews.
First up he will tee up in this week's Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club.
As the tournament lands the week before the British Open, it has attracted some of the world's top-ranked players who are eager to get some practice on links style courses ahead of the big dance.
The field includes recent US Open winner Matthew Fitzpatrick, 2021 Open champion Collin Morikawa, defending champion Min Woo Lee and world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Herbert tees up in round one at 5.45pm AEST on Thursday afternoon alongside Dylan Frittelli and Sami Valimaki.
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