Lucas Herbert feels like 'adopted Irishman'

Defending champion Lucas Herbert said he felt like an "adopted Irishman" after enjoying plenty of support at the 2022 Horizon Irish Open.

Playing alongside home hero Pádraig Harrington on days one and two, huge crowds followed Australian Herbert as he followed up Thursday's 69 with a 68 at Mount Juliet Estate on Friday.

Herbert, a three-shot winner at this event last year, acknowledged many of the fans were probably there for Harrington but he was highly appreciative of the backing his group received from the locals.

And he knows some members of the bumper crowd had come to cheer him on.

He said: "There's so much support here. I almost feel like an adopted Irishman this week.

"It's been great with Paddy as well. The crowd out there for him has been unbelievable.

"He holed a putt on the ninth to be safe to make the cut. The roar that came out of them was pretty incredible.

"It feels like the majority of them are out there for Paddy but I definitely saw some boys out there wearing a red shirt yesterday, so I know there's a couple in the crowd for me and my parents are here, too.

"I know there's more than two in the crowd for me."