Ryggs Johnston clinched the ISPS Handa Australian Open, marking his second-ever appearance on the DP World Tour.
At Kingston Heath Golf Club, he started the final round tied with Lucas Herbert but surged ahead to finish three strokes clear of Curtis Luck.
This win in Melbourne capped a whirlwind few weeks for Johnston, who had just secured his tour card through Q-School and debuted at the Australian PGA Championship with a T42nd finish.
Despite rough weather delaying practice rounds until Thursday, Johnston impressed with an opening 65 and followed up with three consecutive 68s.
Unexpected Victory
When asked if he thought winning was possible given all that happened, Johnston admitted he didn’t expect much due to fatigue from traveling and missing practice because of bad weather. “To be honest, probably not,” he said. “I turned up pretty tired from all the travel and Q-School and everything.” Fans might think it’s amazing how unexpected wins are sometimes the sweetest.
His journey to victory began perfectly with an eagle on the first hole and a birdie on the third. But after some bogeys, he found himself neck-and-neck with Luck and Herbert by the tenth hole.
Herbert’s chances slipped away as he struggled on the back nine, while Luck kept pushing forward. However, two late bogeys by Luck allowed Johnston to secure his lead once more.
Johnston became only the 11th American to lift the Stonehaven Cup, joining legends like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. His triumph also earned him a spot in The Open Championship in 2025 at Royal Portrush.
Australians Curtis Luck and Marc Leishman also qualified for The Open next season through this tournament’s results.
So what do you think about this surprising win?
