Having extra year as reigning Barbasol Championship winner not all bad for Jim Herman

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Jim Herman proudly shows off the trophy after winning the Barbasol Championship last year - EquiSport Photos

Jim Herman says it was “definitely disappointing” that COVID-19 forced the PGA Tour to cancel the Barbasol Championship — an event he won last year. However, he’s found a plus to enjoy.

“Just knowing they will have the tournament again next year means I get an extra year as reigning champion, so that’s not all bad,” said Herman. “It’s definitely not the worst thing in the world. It was unfortunate some tournaments got cancelled and some got moved. I thought the Barbasol had a chance to still get played but I will be back next year.”

Herman was a birdie machine in the third round of the 2019 Barbasol at Champion Trace Golf Course in Jessamine County to earn his second PGA Tour win at age 41 by one shot over Kelly Kraft. He had a 10-under par 62 in the third round to position himself for his first win since the 2016 Houston Open.

The Barbasol Championship will host a charity tourney Oct. 15-16 at Champions Trace to raise money for All God’s Children, Kentucky Children’s Hospital (UK Healthcare), the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Refuge for Women, and the Woodhill Community Center. Those are the charitable partners supported by Caddie 127 to benefit and empower women and children.

Herman, who recently won the Wyndham Championship, won’t be able to attend because he has a PGA Tour event that same week but will be doing anything he can to help.

“On the PGA Tour we play for a lot of money but we also raise a lot of money for charity. It’s all about giving back,” Herman said. “As champions, we also want to help tournaments we won do that. I won’t be able to be there but using my name and likeness to promote golf and the charities they are trying to help out is something I can do. Those are great causes and any money that can be raised will be put to good use.”

Herman has the week off as he was in the top 30 of the FedEx standings to play in this week’s championship event. However, there’s a lot of big-time events coming up soon when the next tour season starts, including three events originally scheduled for overseas that will now be played in the U.S. due to COVID-19. His Wyndham win got him a spot in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

“Its going to be fun to see the top 30 player battle it out this week,” Herman, a Cincinnati native who now lives in Palm City, Fla., said.

He’s now been playing professional golf for 20 years and still remembers the struggles just trying to get on the PGA Tour.

“That was the hardest part. Mini tours, Monday qualifiers, traveling without the reward of playing on Tour,” he said. “Knowing how hard you had to work to try and get to the pot of gold on the PGA Tour was not easy. To finally get there and try to stay on Tour and now have won three times, it just makes no sense to me. It’s been crazy.”

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