Ryggs Johnston just pulled off something pretty amazing in Australia – and he did it without even getting to practice on the course.
The 24-year-old American shocked everyone by winning the ISPS Handa Australian Open on Sunday, shooting a stellar 4-under 68 to finish three shots ahead of Curtis Luck.
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“I really didn’t have any expectations,” Johnston said afterward. “Which probably helped me in the end.”
No kidding. He was already exhausted from three rounds of DP World Tour qualifying school and last week’s tournament. Then bad weather kept him from even seeing Kingston Heath golf course before the competition started.
But none of that mattered once he got going. Johnston kicked things off with an eagle on his very first hole, then added a birdie on the third to jump into the lead.
The win puts him in some legendary company. He’s now one of just 11 American-born players to win the Australian Open, joining golf icons like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson.
Here’s what makes this even more special: Johnston comes from Libby, Montana – a tiny town of less than 3,000 people that’s never produced a professional tournament winner before.
“I’ve got a lot of messages from friends back saying the whole town is watching,” he said. “It’s just really cool to have that kind of support, something you don’t see much other than from small towns.”
Johnston’s path to this moment wasn’t exactly smooth. After a strong showing at Arizona State University, where he finished third at the 2021 NCAA Championship, he hit some rough patches. He even lost his spot in the team’s lineup at one point.
But things started clicking again during his final year in college. He racked up seven top-15 finishes and showed everyone he was back on track.
The victory launches Johnston from way down at number 900+ in the world rankings all the way up to No. 316. It also earns him a spot in next year’s Open Championship.
And yes, in case you’re wondering – he really was named after Mel Gibson’s character in “Lethal Weapon.”
Now that he’s won on one of golf’s biggest stages, those “no expectations” days might be over. But something tells us this small-town kid from Montana is just getting started.
