Herman’s backing of Trump personal

Jim Herman will be going places he has never been in January. By winning the Shell Houston Open, he gets to start his year at Kapalua for the Tournament of Champions. And after the Sony Open, he is planning a trip to Washington to see one of his biggest supporters.

“I think I’m going to go to the inauguration,” Herman said.

Herman was working as an assistant pro when he landed a job at Trump National in Bedminster, N.J. Once he was told that he would be playing with the boss — Donald Trump — Herman made a quick impression. Trump told him he was good enough to play the tour, and he helped financially back Herman, who last year won his first PGA Tour event.

Herman said he hasn’t had a chance to talk to Trump after the latter won the U.S. presidential election. Trump will be at his Florida resort for Thanksgiving. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to see him there, get a round in,” Herman said. “But his schedule is going to be pretty busy.”

TIME WARP: Mackenzie Hughes grew up near Hamilton Golf & Country Club, and was the standard bearer at the Canadian Open in 2003. A player in his group was Australia’s Steve Allan.

Fast forward 13 years. Hughes won the Price Cutter Charity Classic on the Web.com Tour in August, all but assuring his PGA Tour card. Playing with him in the last group that day was none other than Allan.

“He had a huge laugh out of that,” Hughes said.