Jim Herman, Former Trump Assistant, Co-medalist At Local U.S. Open Qualifier
Jim Herman, the 38-year-old former journeyman golfer and former assistant at Trump National in Bedminster who earned the most unlikely entry into the Masters in April by winning the Shell Houston Open, had to scrape his into the U.S. Open field on Monday, June 6, in the U.S. Open Sectional qualifying at Canoe Brook in Summit.
After firing a 5-under-par 67 in his morning round on the more difficult North Course, Herman, winner of the Shell Houston Open the week before The Masters, went three shots in the wrong direction on the first two holes of his afternoon round with a double bogey after a tee shot into the water on the South Course’s par-3 10thhole, and a bogey on the par-5 11th.
But Herman couldn’t be denied entry into his fourth U.S. Open, rallying with an eagle on the par-5 first hole and three birdies for a 70 to go along with that 67 for a 7-under 137 that tied him for medalist honors with Boston pro Rob Oppenheim, who is in his first-year on the PGA Tour.
A total of six golfers from the field of 98 qualified for the U.S. Open at Oakmont near Pittsburgh, June 16-19. Following Herman and Oppenheim were four players at 6-under 138 including Mike Miller of Brewster, N.Y., Andy Pope of Orlando, Justin Hicks of Wellington, Fla., and Christopher Crawford of Bensalem, Pa.
Crawford, 22, a four-year golfer at Drexel University, was the most inspiring story, getting into the U.S. Open for the first time by draining a 40-foot birdie putt on his final hole, the North’s 18th hole. That knocked four players, including two with New Jersey ties, from a potential playoff.
Those four included Somerville native Kevin Foley, winner of the 2011 NJSGA Open, Pat Wilson of Panther Valley, winner of the Met Amateur in 2013, Mike McCoy of Iowa and Andrew Turner of Elverson, Pa.
After four playoff holes, Foley won the first alternate spot and Wilson, who made the U.S. Open through sectional qualifying in 2015, was the second alternate.
“My morning round was ideal. I’ve been missing greens and I wanted to make as many birdie putts as possible today,” Herman said. “After those two bad holes, I had to refocus. I knew there was plenty of time. I’m very proud of myself the way I came back.”
The top 60 in World Golf Rankings gain automatic entry into the U.S. Open, so Herman, at No. 76, had to make it through a qualifier.
“It’s crazy just to say I’m No. 76 in the world. I would have never thought that when I was an assistant at Trump Bedminster. But the great news was that I was familiar with Canoe Brook. I played in many assistant pro events and sectional event and came in third in the Met Open here in 2006.
“Now, I’ve played five years on the PGA Tour and I’ve made our national open for the fourth time, all through qualifiers. I’ve learned not to stress out over a few holes. I’m looking forward to going to Oakmont. I’ve never played there.
“The best thing about the Opens are the history. I know Oakmont is almost the home of Arnold Palmer. I’m hoping to see him there.”
Herman, who spent two years working as an assistant pro at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster (2006-07), was the most unlikely player to earn his way into this year’s Masters when he won the Shell Open in Houston on the Sunday before Masters week.
Herman's Cinderella-like story earned him a last-minute spot into his first Masters. The victory also earned Herman, who knocked around the mini tours for quite a while, a 2½-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a first-place prize of $1.224 million.
