PGA Tour Golfer Credits Trump's Advice After His Highly Unlikely Win
The improbability of Jim Herman’s win at the Barbasol Championship on Sunday is difficult to put into context.
His 2019 season had been so bad that a demotion to the Korn Ferry Tour, one of golf’s minor league circuits, was staring him in the face.
He had missed the cut in an astounding 16 out of 19 tournaments, scraping out a tie for 43rd at the Sony Open back in January as his best finish of the year.
His pre-tournament 500-1 odds to win were tied for the worst in the entire field.
But against all the odds, something clicked for Herman when he needed it most. He posted a tournament-record 26-under 262 for the week, making a clutch par on his final hole to seal the victory.
Jim Herman’s 2018-19 season:
MC
MC
MC
MC
T43
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
T61
MC
MC
MC
MC
MC
T71
MC
MC
WINGolf is either the dumbest or the greatest game in the world.
— Ryan Ballengee (@RyanBallengee) July 22, 2019
“Really proud of how I can step up on that 18th tee when everything’s on the line and hit the fairway and hit the green and get out of there,” Herman said after the final round.
All love @BarbasolChamp. ❤️@GoHermie celebrates his second TOUR win with his wife and kids. #LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/GVJg5F6NIC
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 21, 2019
“My future on tour was not looking too bright coming off a lot of cuts,” Herman said. “I didn’t feel like I was playing poorly, but just putting, short game was not there.”
? @GoHermie shares what it means to win his first PGA TOUR title since 2016. https://t.co/LafzkzcmrJ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 22, 2019
When a turnaround as drastic this one occurs, it’s difficult to attribute it to just one factor. While Herman wasn’t able to fully explain what changed for him, he gave credit to President Donald Trump for his role in the turnaround.
Herman said Trump, a regular golf partner of his, had recently advised him to change his putting grip and style of putter. Herman followed the commander-in-chief’s recommendation (how could you not?), and it paid off.
Herman even received a phone call from Trump, who no doubt saw that his advice was working, on Friday night.
“I got a phone call from him wishing me on for the weekend and congratulating me on my first two rounds. It’s pretty amazing I’ve had this relationship with him,” he said.
“I think I need to see him again soon,” Herman said of Trump while he was still on the 18th green. “He motivates me and puts me in a good spot.”
Trump has yet to give his golf partner a shout out on Twitter, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him do so.
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