American Ryggs Johnston recorded the biggest win of his professional career at the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath on Sunday.
The first American champion since Jordan Spieth claimed his second title in 2016, Johnston added his name alongside a list of illustrious countrymen that includes Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gene Sarazen.
Johnston (65-68-68-68) was a three-shot winner at 18-under, with West Australian Curtis Luck finishing as runner-up after a final round 4-under 68. His weekend tally of 11-under coming after a 71-68 start.
Luck held the lead late in his round, however after three weeks of consecutive golf, the man from Cottesloe admitted he was running out of steam, and bogeys at 17 and 18 ensued.
Victorians Marc Leishman and Jasper Stubbs shared third place at 14-under, after both, like Luck, looked to threaten at certain points on Sunday.
Johnston, Luck and Leishman claimed the three 2025 Open Championship spots and can start planning for Royal Portrush, Stubbs missing out due to Leishman having a better world ranking.
Having not won a four-round event since his high school days, Johnston gained his DP World Tour status just weeks ago through Qualifying School, and has now solidified his position.
"Getting a win and hopefully getting into more tournaments and just knowing that I've secured pretty legit status now, it's great," the 24-year-old said.
Having a look at the Stonehaven Cup while the media spoke with women's winner Jiyai Shin, Johnston was able to take in the plethora of who's who in golf that is etched into the Stonehaven Cup.
"It's just really cool to be in that group," he said. "I'm just pretty honoured to be able to put my name on it now too and I'll cherish this moment forever."
Johnston made his intentions clear early, pouring in a putt from off the first green for eagle, and backing it up with a birdie the third.
A trio of bogeys and another birdie had the American turn in 1-under, and at that point as the leaderboard tightened, a healthy group still had chances.
It was the back nine where Johnston made the championship his own however, coming home in 3-under with the wind and the rain intensifying, and playing for the most significant result of his young career took serious grit.
"On 14, I kind of hit it right again and wasn't in a great spot and I got myself out of trouble and made a nice 12-15 footer for birdie there," said Johnston of the defining moment for him.
"Then made a longer one on 15 and that's kind of when I was really like, all right, you can win this tournament.
"It was definitely a little stressful. The weather was kind of up and down. It was really nice for 15 minutes and really bad for 15 minutes.
"I knew I was right in it and then when I walked up to 17 green, I finally saw the leaderboard and saw I had a three-shot lead and then I could take a little bit of a breath."
Runner-up Luck said: "The finish wasn't ideal, but at the end of the day I was not really hitting balls three months ago, so I don't think I can complain too much.
"I've been pretty rusty the four events I've played down here in Australia and I think that probably showed down the stretch and I was doing my best to clinging on, but it got the better of me.
"I think I make it pretty hard on myself quite often, so if I could clean up those areas, yeah, I still believe absolutely 100 percent that I could be right up there with the best."
After being in the lead for most of the tournament, home favourite Lucas Herbert (74) wound up in six-way share of fifth at -12. His challenge fell away with three bogeys and no birdies on the back nine, leaving the Ripper GC team member a frustrated man as he walked off 18.
Joining Herbert in the group six shots back were defending champion Joaquin Niemann (72), BMW Australian PGA winner Elvis Smylie (72) and fellow Aussie Harrison Crowe (71), Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Wenyi Ding (72) and a charging Kiradech Aphibarnrat (68).
Smylie made a mini run with three straight birdies on the front nine but couldn't find his Royal Queensland magic over the closing nine.
However, the 22-year-old consolidated his lead at the top of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia standings before he heads off to the Nedbank Challenge on the DP World Tour.
Meanwhile, after his runner-up finish at the PGA, Cam Smith ended his Summer of Golf by finishing equal 39th at 3-under.
