Talk about taking the road less traveled. Ryggs Johnston honed his golf game in the tiny Montana town of Libby in the northwest corner of the state.

Ryggs Johnston, in just his second start on the DP World Tour, won by three shots to claim the 2024 ISPS Handa Australian Open. He also punched his ticket to the 2025 Open Championship. Johnston tied for 42nd in his DPWT debut last week, this after having to navigate Q school on the European circuit.

Johnston, an unheralded American player, celebrated his first professional victory Sunday with a three-stroke triumph in the Australian Open, while South Korea's Jiyai Shin became a two-time winner of the Women's Australian Open, which was played concurrently at two courses on the famed Melbourne Sandbelt.

Unheralded American Ryggs Johnston won his first professional title Sunday by closing with a 4-under 68 at Kingston Heath for a three-shot victory in the Australian Open. The Arizona State alum was among three players to earn a spot in the British Open.

Already exhausted from three stages of DP World Tour Q-School and last week’s season-opening Australian PGA, Johnston wasn’t afforded a practice round on Kingston Heath, site of the Aussie’s national open and only Johnston’s second career start as a DPWT member, because of inclement weather.

Unheralded American Ryggs Johnston can barely believe the company he's now in after crashing the party with a stunning and most improbable Australian Open triumph in Melbourne.

Unheralded American Ryggs Johnston has won his first professional title by claiming the Australian Open by three stokes, while South Korea’s Jiyai Shin claimed her second Women’s Australian Open which was played concurrently at two courses on the famed Melbourne sand belt.