Jim Herman made two back-nine birdies after a rain delay on Sunday and was rewarded when Kelly Kraft stumbled late, claiming his second career PGA Tour title at the Barbasol Championship in Nicholasville, Ky.
Herman shot 2-under 70 to finish at 26-under 262 at Keene Trace Golf Club, one stroke ahead of Kraft, who bogeyed the par-3 16th and par-4 17th right after taking the solo lead with birdies at 14 and 15.
After a three-putt from 48 feet on 17, Kraft’s 41-foot birdie try at 18 missed. Herman then two-putted from 23 feet, finishing with a tap-in to clinch the victory.
Herman, 41, was limited to nine events in 2018 by a foot injury and missed the cut in 16 of his previous 19 events this year, with no finishes higher than 43rd before Sunday’s victory.
“Obviously the last couple years have been a little lean,” he said afterward on Golf Channel. “A lot of missed cuts, and I never lost hope, but what are you gonna say? This was a great week. I always wanted to win a second one.”
Herman’s previous title came at the Houston Open in 2016. Coincidentally, both of his victories have come two weeks after he played a round with current U.S. President Donald Trump, who Herman said gave him putting advice two weeks ago that helped him this week.
“He’s a busy man, but I think I need to see him again here sometime soon,” Herman said of Trump with a smile. .”.. He motivates me and puts me in a good spot.”
Both players in the final pairing cooled off after a scorching Saturday, in which Herman shot a 62 and Kraft broke the course record with 61.
Herman was 1 under on the seventh hole when play was stopped due to weather. He then bogeyed No. 9 to fall level with Kraft, who had eagled at the par-5 fifth to get to 1 under on the day. Both players birdied the 11th before Kraft took the outright lead at 14, and both birdied 15 before Kraft’s back-to-back bogeys.
Austria’s Sepp Straka shot a 66 to claim third alone at 23 under, while Australia’s Matt Jones tied the low round of the day with a 63 to tie Austin Cook (70) for fourth.
Scotland’s Martin Laird, who also shot 63, was among three tied for sixth at 21 under.
–Field Level Media
