The Australian golfer was all but home to win the New Zealand Open in 2020 when the back nine at Millbrook tripped him up.
Playing five holes behind Australian Brad Kennedy yesterday, who "pinched" the title from Herbert, brought the memories flooding back.
"I probably gifted it to him the way I played the back nine," Herbert said.
"That one still haunts me a little bit as well, that I couldn’t get it done here.
"I’d love to get that one ticked off the list. It’s a tournament I’d love to win.”
Reminiscing on the 2020 tournament, Herbert recalled hitting it nicely along the front nine.
But he just could not quite make his putts to distance himself from the rest of the pack.
"Because I didn’t do that, one bad swing on . . . the 13th then, the par three, brought me undone.
"I went from standing on the previous green with a two-shot lead to standing on the 14th tee with a two-shot deficit, so things turned around pretty quickly for me.
"I went from being the front runner, leading the tournament, which I think I’d pretty much done all week, to all of a sudden fighting to try and catch up again.
"It was a tough mental switch and I didn’t quite finish it off the way I would’ve liked to.
"I’d like to think I’m a little bit of a better golfer now and maybe would have a better chance of not making those mistakes if I was in the same position this year.”
Despite the hiccup, Herbert had fond memories of playing at the New Zealand Open through the years.
Herbert, who is on the LIV circuit, knew some LIV players came to New Zealand last week but had not stayed for the tournament.
He expected more LIV players to play in the coming year.
"This is an amazing spot.
"Maybe the best spot to spend a week or two weeks in between events and the fact you get to play a golf tournament in the middle of that with a spot in a major championship.
"I’m . . . running out of reasons why you wouldn’t come.”
Queenstown has long been one of Herbert’s favourite destinations, but now has an extra special meaning after getting engaged in the resort earlier this week.
Herbert ventured up Queenstown Hill — "I had to wear a hoodie the whole way up in some warmer weather, so I was sweating because I didn’t have anywhere else to hide the ring box" — to pop the question.
"I think I surprised her. I don’t think she saw it coming, so pretty happy with that.
‘‘I mean, she seems happy."
