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THE HONDA CLASSICFebruary 26, 2015Jim HermanPALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA MARK STEVENS: You got to 5‑under in tough conditions this morning. Talk about your round and how you found success out there this morning. JIM HERMAN: Well, sure, thank you. It's a great golf course, I'll tell you that. Little unexpected to get to five. I was trying to keep it around par. If you could get a birdie here or there and sneak in 1‑ or 2‑under par, it would be great. Hit some good shots out there, a couple good saves and got it to 2‑under I think through the turn. 10 was just a great shot. I hit a driver and a 4‑iron into about, I don't know, five or six feet and rolled that in. 11 was big, as well. I have drove it just in the rough and had to pitch out. I know 11 has always been a challenging hole watching on TV. Had an 80‑yard shot, made about a 15‑footer for par, keep the round going. Good pitch shot on 12. Couple‑‑ I missed an opportunity on 13. Hit it in there pretty good, ten feet or so and missed that. But good save on 14. Got up‑and‑down from 120 yards, another poor drive there. But it's hard to drive it well out here. The wind's blowing. You've got crosswinds. Just plays with your mind and then coming into the Bear Trap, just trying to get it on the green. On 15, made a great putt on 16, good up‑and‑down on 17 and then 3‑wood, 5‑iron, two putts on 18. So here we are, 5‑under. Q. What was so great about the putt on 16? JIM HERMAN: You know, it was about 25, 30 feet, just a nice, unexpected birdie. You don't really anticipate those going in and it just went in, made a good stroke. Q. When did you find out you were going to be in the field, and just speak to how difficult it may or may not be when you don't know you're playing until the week of the tournament? JIM HERMAN: Well, playing out of this category, you always know that it's an uphill battle. Played pretty well this year so far, but I reshuffled back, so I was in the field on Friday and then after the reshuffle, I moved out to second alternate. So Monday, no changes in the morning and then teed it up at the Monday qualifier and fourth tee box, I got the call. So that was nice. Q. Did you finish the round? JIM HERMAN: No, I came right in. Came here.  (Laughter). Came right in, registered. Take care of the administration stuff here and then a couple practice shots and then went home and enjoyed Monday night and came back out Tuesday to get a practice round in. Q. What was your number Friday to Monday? JIM HERMAN: In the category, I was 13 and moved to 21 in my category. MARK STEVENS: So you were in and then out. JIM HERMAN: I was in on Friday and we had the reshuffle. Missed the cut at L.A. Same scenario. I was in the Monday qualifier at L.A. and got the call on Tuesday so I didn't make the cut. So I didn't keep my spot. So I'm in a good spot. This is my first Honda Classic. I live right up the road, Palm City, and finally able to crack the field here. Looking forward to playing the rest of the week. Q. You had a couple Top‑25s in the fall. Was that a sign that things were going in the right direction? JIM HERMAN: I really struggled last summer. Really struggled with my game, my putting. Found it in the Web.com qualifying. I had two fourth‑place finishes, a 14th maybe. So had a lot of confidence after that going into the fall start, I guess, I don't know if it's the fall finish anymore. Played pretty well there in Las Vegas, had a Saturday 62 and a good final round in Mayakoba. Played pretty well the start of the year. Just haven't finished off a tournament. I don't know, my best finish might be mid 30s at Torrey Pines. Playing well just had a hot putter today. I like getting back bermudagrass. The West Coast plays with your mind on the greens. It's nice being out here on the TifEagle, I think it is. Q. Do you have any idea how many rounds you've played on this course and how different it is now beyond the par difference, but just how different the course plays than when you're used to playing? JIM HERMAN: Seems like I play here every winter about one time. But I've logged, you know, 20 to 25 rounds here in the last ten years or so. I moved down in 2001, played the Golden Bear Tour for four years. We played the Champ and the Hague it seemed like every other week. Summer golf down here is a little different than the winter golf, and par 70 versus 172. I don't think in any of the Golden Bear events I've shot 5‑ or 6‑under on this course. For me, it's very satisfying. Q. Being in Florida, was the wind, certainly not unusual, was it‑‑ you said it was tough but nothing that would make you‑‑ JIM HERMAN: Obviously living down here, you come to expect it. The first few days this week, you're like, where is the wind. I don't mind it blowing. I feel like I can control the golf ball pretty well with my iron game. So yeah, it was okay that the wind was blowing. Glad we avoided the rain. I don't really like playing in the rain. Q. You moved down here four or five years ago? JIM HERMAN: Moved down 2001 after school and just trying to chase the dream. Friend of mine lived in Port St. Lucie, Steve Whitier (ph), living on his couch for a while. Just moved, my wife and family, we moved to Palm City four years ago. So just for school district, through other things. Nice, quiet area in Palm City. Q. Where do you play out there? JIM HERMAN: I play at Trump Jupiter, so drive down to Jupiter. Play there and a couple other places, that sorry up in Port St. Lucie, the PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, as well. Q. You said chasing the dream. Was there a point you were going to ‑‑ JIM HERMAN: Yeah, you play the Golden Bear, go to Q‑School, it was just the same cycle every year. Four years of it, missing out at second stage, that was just a terrible drive back from the West Coast. Played in Tampa, seems like every year and driving back to East Coast with, what am I going to do now. Got in the golf business, started working at the PGA Village, got phone call, started working up at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey. My second season there I finally got through second stage and got status on the Web.com and been playing the last eight years since then. Q. What were you doing working there? JIM HERMAN: Just an assistant pro. At Trump I was an assistant pro, tournament ops, things like that. Got into a nice conversation with Donald, Mr.Trump one day. He's like: "Why are you folding shirts and giving lessons, why aren't you on the TOUR? I've played with tour players, you're good enough." I don't know, maybe something like that gives you more confidence. It's nice playing out here. I definitely enjoy it better than the golf shop. Q. What years were you at each? JIM HERMAN: 2005 and six at the PGA Village and then started working, I guess it was 2004 and 2005 and then 2006 and 2007 at Trump National and Web.com starting in 2008. Q. Do you normally get local guys? JIM HERMAN: I don't know I'm kind of a loaner when it comes to playing at home. I don't know why that is but I usually play with some of my buddies up at Port St. Lucie from the PGA Village, Steve and Jamie, we play whenever I'm home. I don't get into the games down here too much. Just practice up there or down at Jupiter, Trump and then get home. I've got two kids at home and a wife that would like me to be home more. Q. So is it a press exaggeration to say that Donald Trump saved your career? JIM HERMAN: It's not a bad thing. There were a lot of people along the way that have helped me. There's a lot of members in Port St. Lucie, since sin, a lot of people helped me get to Florida and then at Trump there are a lot of members the that raised money to get me to Q‑School. Mr.Trump has been very influential in that. He helped me along the way. Carry his logo right on my chest and on the bag, so he's been influential in getting me to the TOUR. Q. Not to harp on Monday but did you play Pebble this year? JIM HERMAN: I did. Q. Were you in L.A. when you left Pebble and did all the Top‑10s bump you out? JIM HERMAN: I was in L.A. by two and then the Top‑10s bumped me out. It's what we deal with. I can't stress, I'd love to get out of this category. I'd love to be a Top‑125 so you can set your schedule and not have to worry about what comes on Friday, am I in, am I out, late registration, Top‑10s that bump you out on Monday. Love being out here, of course, but got to make the next step and get out of this category. Q. And what was the occasion that you played the kind of Australian swing, at least the Masters two or three years ago, did you do something on the Web.com that popped you into the‑‑ JIM HERMAN: I won the Moonah Classic on the Web in 2010 and to get that money to count on the Australasian Tour I had to play another event. So I went back and played the Aussie Masters that winner. Played pretty well there. I don't remember my finish but Top‑20 or so. Q. Victoria? JIM HERMAN: At Victoria, yeah. Great golf course over there. Love to go back. I haven't been back since. I really love playing golf all over the world. I've been to Australia, China, New Zealand. Played a little in Scotland with some friends of mine. Q. What did you do in China? JIM HERMAN: That same tournament, Moonah Classic, got me in the HSBC Champions. That's why I went to play in the Aussie Masters was to get my money to count. So the top four or so got you in the HSBC. So that was exciting. That was a fun event. Q. Free money there? JIM HERMAN:  Always enjoy free money. Q. Have you ever led on the TOUR and what do you think the next 24 hours will be like for you? JIM HERMAN: I don't recall ever leading. Maybe a five for the lead at some point. If I am, I am. If not, I know it's a long way to Sunday, so you know, just have to answer a few texts and phone calls. But you know got to go straighten out my driver on the range here after lunch. You know, just go home and relax. Like I said, I've got two kids, they are going to want to, they are not going to care if I shot 65 or 66 or 75. They are going to want to see me. Q. You said you hit 3‑wood on 18. That's a pretty wide fairway. Why would you do that? JIM HERMAN: It was really downwind. In the practice you hit driver and I did hit one in the water through the fairway. And I really didn't hit a good tee shot on 14. That was my last time I hit driver. So I really enjoyed my 3‑wood, so I'm going to, I've got that going pretty well, so there was no way I was hitting driver on 18. My caddie wasn't going to let me‑‑ Q. What did you hit on 14? JIM HERMAN: I just pulled it, hit the left trees down on the cart path. I had no shot. I had 230. Just had to pitch out. Wedge, wedge and made a good putt for par. MARK STEVENS: Thank you for your time, good stuff. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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