The 30-year-old Victorian finished tied for sixth place after risking everything over the last two holes to try to pick up the two birdies that he thought would earn him a play-off place against American Cameron Young.
Ultimately, though, another wayward drive at the 17th quickly put paid to that hope and the LIV Golf star ended up with a bogey that pushed him down to finish in joint-sixth place, one spot outside the top-five berth that would have guaranteed him a start in all four of the majors next season.
"I'm into St Andrews next year, which that's the best Open to play," smiled Herbert about his week's work which had also included a place in the record books for shooting the joint-lowest round ever in a men's major, a second-round 62.
"But I've missed the top five, which would have got me into all the majors. But it was a great experience, the whole week.
"I can't be too upset. A lot of positives to take. It's my best finish in a major. I genuinely contended, I was up around the lead for the last 45 holes. There's a lot to take away from that. I've learned so much this week.
"It's annoying that we're 12 months away from the next major I'm going to play."
The key moment came as he talked to his caddie Nick Pugh before tackling the par-five penultimate hole. "The conversation was, 'I need to make a three'," said Herbert.
"As much as I wanted to finish top-five, all the majors and all that, I still had a tournament to win that I was very much in. So that was why I went pretty aggressive with driver."
But just as on Saturday night, Herbert's bold approach ended with him driving wild, straight into the thick rough, which effectively ensured bogey. "Just really struggled with the driver today. Ironically, I felt quite comfortable over it, just couldn't get it to go straight when I needed it to," he shrugged.
"That one stings, but I'll learn a lot."
With three birdies and four bogeys in his uneven round, he added: "Just couldn't really get any momentum going. Every time I made a birdie, I backed it up with a bogey."
Herbert admitted the top-five spot was on his mind, as he had a couple of mates who would have gone to the 2023 Masters if he'd qualified for that edition in Augusta. Instead, he didn't make it, missing out on a place by just one position in the world rankings.
"They've been in line for four years now. So I was kind of thinking about them, and I'm already looking forward to the texts I'm going to get in that group chat!" he smiled.
"But it was a great week. Can't lose my mind too much about it."
