GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - Jim Herman has a plan to keep his PGA Tour career thriving - play more rounds with President Donald Trump.
Whenever Herman plays golf with the president, soon after he hoists a trophy.
It happened in 2016 with his breakthrough victory at the Houston Open, again before he won the Barbasol tournament last year - and now before Herman’s improbable rally Sunday at Wyndham Championship to make the FedEx Cup playoffs.
“He’s been a big supporter of mine,” Herman said about Trump, his regular golf partner while working as an assistant professional at Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey. “I need to play golf with him a little bit more.”
Herman gave the president plenty to cheer about on the weekend, a victory even the 42-year-old didn’t see coming. “This was out of the blue. I’ll tell you that,” Herman said.
Herman shot a 7-under 63 for a one-stroke victory over Billy Horschel, overcoming a four-stroke deficit in the final round at Sedgefield Country Club. Herman moved past Horschel with a birdie on the 71st hole.
Herman finished at 21-under 259.
Horschel closed with a 65. He had a final chance to tie on the 72nd hole, but his 8-foot birdie putt slid left of the cup.
Herman got into the playoffs, jumping from 192nd to 54th in the race for the 125 spots.
Si Woo Kim, the third-round leader, had a 70 to tie for third at 18 under with Kevin Kisner (64), Webb Simpson (65) and Doc Redman (68).
LPGA TOUR
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) - Stacy Lewis won the Ladies Scottish Open with a 23-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff, giving the American her first title in nearly three years and a confidence boost ahead of the Women’s British Open.
The 35-year-old Lewis took a swig of champagne beside the 18th green after fending off Azahara Munoz, Cheyenne Knight and Emily Kristine Pedersen for her 13th LPGA Tour victory - and first since the birth to daughter Chesnee in October 2018.
Lewis closed with a 1-over 72 to match Munoz (73), Knight (70) and Pedersen (68) at 5-under 279 at The Renaissance Club. The Texan won for the first time since the 2017 Cambia Portland Classic and won for the first time in a playoff after dropping her previous three.
After Lewis holed her birdie putt in the playoff, Knight missed a 10-foot birdie try.
Lewis will look to follow up at Royal Troon next week, when the first women’s major of a reshaped golf year takes place. She is a two-time major winner, triumphing at the Women’s British Open in 2013.
Danielle Kang, coming off consecutive victories in Ohio in the LPGA Tour’s return, was a stroke back after a 69. Nanna Koerstz Madsen also was 4 under after a 65.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
AKRON, Ohio (AP) - Jerry Kelly seized control at the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship with a hole-in-one on the 12th hole at Firestone, sending him to a 1-under 69 and a two-shot victory for his first major on the PGA Tour Champions.
Kelly was clinging to a one-shot lead over Scott Parel when he hit a soft cut with a 5-iron that landed in front of the hole and rolled in for an ace, eliciting a shout from one volunteer around the green.
From there, Kelly was on his way. His only big mistake came on the 18th when he could afford it. He found a bunker off the tee, his next shot hit a tree and dropped into rough below the limbs. He did well to get into the fringe and took three putts for a double bogey, knowing that was enough to win.
Parel, who wasted chances to put stress on Kelly earlier in the round, hit a tree from his approach in the fairway and made bogey to finish with a 70. Parel last year had the 54-hole lead at Firestone and failed to hold it. His runner-up finish was enough to move him to the top of the Charles Schwab Cup standings.
Kelly, who finished at 3 under, and Parel were the only players to finish under par on the South Course at Firestone, which previously hosted a World Golf Championship where Tiger Woods won a record eight times.
U.S. GOLF ASSOCIATION
BANDON, Ore. (AP) - Tyler Strafaci won the U.S. Amateur at foggy Bandon Dunes, overcoming a big early deficit and surviving another tight finish to beat Charles “Ollie” Osborne 1-up.
With father Frank Jr. at his side as a caddie, Strafaci two-putted for birdie - with the short second conceded - on the par-5 36th hole before Osborne’s 8-footer to halve and extend the match went by the right side of the cup.
Strafaci, the rising Georgia Tech senior from Davie, Florida, earned spots next year on the U.S. Walker Cup team and in the British Open after both finalists got spots next year in the Masters and U.S. Open.
Strafaci joined grandfather Frank Strafaci, the 1935 U.S. Amateur Public winner, as a USGA champion. He became the second straight Georgia Tech winner and fourth overall, following Andy Ogletree last year at Pinehurst. Bobby Jones won the Havemeyer Trophy in 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930, and Matt Kuchar in 1997.
In July, Strafaci won the North & South Amateur and Palmetto Amateur in consecutive weeks.
Osborne, from Reno, Nevada, will be a junior at SMU. He also had his father, Steve, alongside as a caddie.
EUROPEAN TOUR
NEWPORT, Wales (AP) - Sam Horsfield won for the Celtic Classic for his second European Tour victory in three weeks, closing with 4-under 67 in fading light for a two-stroke victory.
The 24-year-old Englishman finished at 18-under 277 at Celtic Manor. He won the Hero Open two weeks at ago at Forest of Arden in England for his first tour title.
Belgium’s Thomas Detry was second after a 67.
The tour will remain at Celtic Manor next week for the Wales Open.
KORN FERRY TOUR
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Stephan Jaeger won the Albertsons Boise Open for his fifth career Korn Ferry Tour title, closing with a 3-under 68 for a one-stroke victory over Dan McCarthy and Brandon Wu.
Jaeger, the 31-year-old German who played at Tennessee-Chattanooga, finished at 22-under 262 at Hillcrest Country Club.
McCarthy parred the final five holes in a 64. Wu shot a 68.
The tournament opened the three-event Korn Ferry Tour Championship Series.
SYMETRA TOUR
MESA, Ariz (AP) - Sarah White won the Symetra Tour’s Founders Tribute, finishing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke victory over Casey Danielson and Sophia Popov.
White had a 16-under 201 total at Longbow. White won as non-member of the tour and accepted membership after the victory. She turned professional in January.
Danielson shot 65, and Popov had a 70.
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