Steve DiMeglio

USA TODAY Sports

While he prepped for a speech in Milwaukee Sunday night, GOP frontrunner Donald Trump got word that a former employee was in contention in the Shell Houston Open in Humble, Texas.

Trump had the TV immediately turned to the telecast so he could watch Jim Herman, a 38-year-old journeyman who used to work for Trump as a PGA professional and teaching pro, win his first PGA Tour title. In doing so, Herman earned the last invitation to the Masters, starting Thursday.

“That’s some story,” Trump told USA TODAY Sports in a phone conversation. “I feel awfully good. … It was really nice to see him win. He’s such a good guy. A nice person. And he deserves it. Such a great story. He’s what America is all about. He never gave up, never gave up on his dream. I’m proud of him.”

Herman, ranked 191st in the world golf rankings at the start of the week, won in his 106th start on the Tour. He chipped in for birdie on the 16th to give him a lead he never relinquished. With two solid pars on the final two holes, he closed with a 4-under 68 and a one-shot victory over Henrik Stenson. And then realized he had to make travel plans to Augusta National Golf Club.

“Sorry for the tears, but I'm pretty happy,” Herman said. “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.”

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The possibility took a turn toward reality 10 years ago when Herman was working as an assistant pro at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey. One day, he played with Trump. The real estate mogul was impressed from the get-go.

“I’m a good golfer. I play with a lot of golfers who think they have the goods for the PGA Tour and I can tell after one hole that they don’t,” Trump said. “But Jim was different. I said to him, ‘Why aren’t you trying to get on Tour? You are talented. He hits it long. Ball striking is incredible. So I gave him money and told him to give it a shot. Such an amazing story. I don’t say it often but Jim has a lot of talent.

“ … He got a late start because he had no money and he had to teach. So I staked him. I told him if you make it you’ll pay me back. If you don’t, don’t worry about it. You can still work for me.”

Herman gave it a shot. He had given it a shot years before, missing earning his card at Q-School year after year, and playing mini-tours the country over. He was closing in on his wits end. Two years ago he said he cried on his wife’s shoulder the night before the Web.com Tour’s Finals.

But he kept at it.

And then he chipped in on the 16th hole and won his first Tour title.

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“I worked at Trump National and met some really nice people, played a lot of golf and played with Mr. Trump, and he gave me a lot of confidence, you know,” said Herman, who is playing in his sixth full year on the PGA Tour. “He gave me a little shot in the arm.

“ … You know, if I wouldn't have got through (Q-School), I would have been fine, you know, being a club professional. I love this game of golf. I always knew I had the talent to get out here, but when you don't get out here, what else are you going to do? No one is going to let you come out here.

“ … (Trump) helped me financially. He wrote me a check.”

The day before Easter Sunday, Herman played with Trump and Dana Quigley, who won 11 times on the Champions Tour, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Herman was partnered with Trump and shot 64. Trump was winning, to say the least.

“Dana looked at me that day and told me, ‘This guy can play. He’s as good as anybody,’” Trump said. “I thought the same thing years ago. Jim is just an amazing story.”