HUMBLE, Texas — Jim Herman delivered a masterful performance at just the right time Sunday in the Shell Houston Open.
Herman, winless in 105 previous starts on the PGA Tour, chipped in for birdie on the par-3 16th and finished with two solid pars for a 4-under 68 and a one-shot victory that sends him to the Masters for the first time in his career.
Herman tapped in for par and thrust both fists in the air after his one-shot victory over Henrik Stenson.
“Sorry for the tears, but I’m pretty happy,” Herman said in his TV interview. “We really did a good job keeping our game plan. We wanted to give ourselves as many birdie chances as we could and keep it low stress. And geez, look what happened. Never thought it was possible.”
The Houston Open was the final opportunity for players to get into the Masters, and Herman seemed like a long shot. He was ranked No. 191 in the world, and his only professional victory was six years ago at the Moonah Classic in Australia.
Stenson missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 68 to finish one shot behind. It was the Swede’s eighth runner-up finish since his last victory in Dubai at the end of 2014.
Dustin Johnson tried to overcome a double bogey on the 11th hole, making three birdies coming in, but he had to settle for a 69 and was two shots back.
LPGA: Lydia Ko took advantage of Ariya Jutanugarn’s late collapse to win the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, California, for her second straight major victory.
The top-ranked Ko hit an 88-yard wedge shot to within a foot on the par-5 18th to set up her winning birdie. She closed with a 3-under 69 and finished at 12 under.
Jutanugarn had a two-stroke lead at 13 under with three holes to play but bogeyed all three holes.
Charley Hull and In Gee Chun finished a stroke behind Ko, and Jutanugarn was fourth at 10 under.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Miguel Angel Jimenez shot an 8-under 64 to win the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic by two strokes in Saucier, Mississippi.
Jimenez started the day in third place, three shots behind Scott Dunlap. The Spaniard took control thanks to a bogey-free round that included four straight birdies from No. 10 to No. 13. He was 14 under for the tournament.
Dunlap couldn’t keep up with Jimenez, but finished in second place after shooting a 69.
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