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SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

April 2, 2016

Jim Herman

Humble, Texas

Q. Thank you very much. With a very happy Jim Herman after a bogey-free, 67. The conditions today, a lot of players were playing defensively. You seemed to be playing offensively out there. How would you describe your play and how you attacked this golf course?
JIM HERMAN: Very pleased with my play. I was able to keep it in the fairway, and that way you can get a good look at some of these pins that were tucked. I was able to put it in the right spot, able to get some good uphill putts, and able to make a few. Very pleased with how I'm hitting the ball and very pleased with how I'm putting.

Q. Jim, a great opportunity in front of you tomorrow where you chase your first PGA TOUR victory. What are you committed to tomorrow hopefully for you to get the win?
JIM HERMAN: Committed to just going to the first tee and hitting that first fairway. So, you know there's a lot to play for tomorrow. I'm not really going to worry about that. Just going to just keep doing what I've been doing the last three days, keeping the ball in the fairway, which, you know, just keeping it out of the hazards. And then giving myself as many birdie chances as I can. I feel like I'm really rolling the ball well and keep doing what I'm doing.

Q. Appreciate your time. See you tomorrow.
JIM HERMAN: Very pleased with a clean sheet. I had a couple chances at making bogey. I was able to roll it in for a good save. I had a really good round, lot of fairways, lot of greens, and just really rolled the ball really well this week.

Q. They say that professionals go bogey-free something you notice isn't there, how important is it to you when you have a round where you didn't make any errors?
JIM HERMAN: You just know that it's one more you got to get back. If you can keep from making that mistake, feel like you have a little bit of momentum and I was able to do that. I had a couple good par saves throughout the day, especially on the last hole.

Q. We're going to have a look at the good ones out there for you today. First of all, on the 12th, just talk us through that shot.
JIM HERMAN: I think we have 80 yards and just been really working hard on my distance control with my coach. And it was just perfect, perfect number and perfect shot. Very pleased with that.

Q. Looked like the putter was working for you as well.
JIM HERMAN: Putter has been great. Just had a new model, just new model from Bettinardi. Really rolling it well and the greens are perfect. It's hard not to do well. They are just perfect.

Q. Finally chance to get that first win tomorrow. What would it mean to do it here in Houston?
JIM HERMAN: Houston or any of the other places would be fantastic, just to get one. You know, I really like it here. I've been on Tour five years, but I played this tournament six times. I really enjoy it here, and the fans are great, the tournament organizers are fantastic. Just going to go out and play golf. If I'm there at the end, that's fine, but I'll be really happy. But I just got a long 18 holes ahead of me.

Q. Best of luck tomorrow.
JIM HERMAN: Thanks.

Q. Jim, congratulations. Great day of ball-striking. You don't make any bogies on this golf course with the wind the way it is, how did you think you played today?
JIM HERMAN: Fantastic. It was just like you said, lot of good ball-striking, but I'm putting the ball really well. I think my caddy, Matt, and I are really seeing some good lines, and just the speed control has been ideal for me to make some putts.

Q. I was going to say, I looked at your putting numbers going into the tournament and they weren't great, but you're top 11 strokes gained putting after the third round. So is it just reading them better, is it a little more technique, or why is the putting better?
JIM HERMAN: Working really hard with my coach in the off-season and off weeks, and we're really seeing some improvement. Obviously my numbers don't look that good as a whole, but we're really seeing some improvement, and just working on our speed control and have good speed, putts seem to fall.

Q. How difficult were the winds out there? Because you see a lot of guys that go to the bag, come back, go to the bag again.
JIM HERMAN: Yeah. It's very tricky. You got -- it seemed like every hole just seemed to be into the wind. You play -- you play a hole into the wind and turn around and it's still in the wind. So, lot of guessing out there where Matt and I did a really good job of picking some good clubs to hit and just picking the correct line. Not being too aggressive when we have mid irons or long irons, but when we have a chance to hit wedges, we're looking to cash in.

Q. Thoughts now going into Sunday, a chance to win this golf course and all that comes with it?
JIM HERMAN: Sure. There's a lot to go with that. I'm just going to worry about hitting the first tee tomorrow and, you know, it's so far away. We're just three rounds in. I'm just going to worry about hitting the first tee shot tomorrow and go from there.

Q. Well done today and good luck on Sunday.
How do you feel about the position you're in?

JIM HERMAN: Fantastic. It's nice to be on top, no matter what round it might be, but going into the final round, really looking forward to tomorrow. Really hitting the ball well. Lot of good iron shots and good drives, good 3-woods, but rolling the ball really well, flat stick is working. Just going to try to do more of the same tomorrow.

Q. Is your confidence rising throughout the round?
JIM HERMAN: Yeah. Everything really feels good. Lot of confidence, good par saves, and get up-and-down on last for par was really nice.

Q. How far into this tournament, how many holes into it before you start thinking about Augusta?
JIM HERMAN: You think about it coming into the week. This is your last chance to get to Augusta. It's more than that. Just been out here five years and see what happens tomorrow. Goes my way, that would be awesome. I'm not going to put any more pressure on myself than I already might. Just looking forward to a nice day tomorrow.

Q. Kind of hard not to.
JIM HERMAN: Sure. Very hard.

Q. Anything in your recent form indicate 54 holes that would look like this?
JIM HERMAN: I played really well at Bay Hill. I know my finish didn't show it, but -- and my Florida swing wasn't the best, but I played really well on the West Coast, put a lot of time in on my short game with my coach, Bill Davis, and Matt, my caddy, we've been working hard at it and we're seeing some results.

Q. Jim, relatively new spot for you out here on the PGA TOUR. What experiences in your past might you look back to help you finish golf on Sunday?
JIM HERMAN: Great question. I've won in college but I've won on the Nationwide Tour, in a playoff that was pretty intense. Anytime you win, you feel pretty good about yourself. But, you know, I was close last year in New Orleans, Honda was pretty good as well, but it's going to be totally different. I've never been in the final group. Going to stay positive with everything, really good week of practice last week, and we're just going to try to hit the first fairway.

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