LA JOLLA (Calif.) – Today, Michael Herrera will make his PGA Tour debut at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. This is the place where he watched Tiger Woods play.
He said, “I saw it and I felt like I wanted to play.” “I wanted to do this as a job and it inspired me.”
Herrera’s story of a local boy who makes good is a great one to enjoy, but it barely scratches the surface on his story in golf. Herrera’s story is far more than that.
Ronnie Lott recalls the tee shot.
Herrera was playing in Cedric the Entertainer’s Celebrity Golf Classic. Herrera was at a teebox on a par 5, to hit drives for the various team members. Lott, the Hall of Fame defensive player for the San Francisco 49ers was amazed at the sound and distance Herrera’s drives made. Lott recollects in cinematic detail the moments that followed.
Lott said, “It was that moment. I was like, Hey, Kid, come talk to us, I want your story.” Lott spoke to Lott during a telephone interview.
Michael Herrera, runner-up, on the fairway at No. 17 during the final round at the Detroit Golf Club’s 2022 John Shippen Invitational. (Kirthmon Dozier/Detroit Free Press
Lott heard from Herrera, 24 years old, about his childhood in Moreno Valley (California), not far from Rialto. He also shared stories about how he quit basketball to become a professional golfer. Lott was impressed and asked “How do you pay for this?” Who are you helping?
Herrera said, “Nobody,” as he was part-time working at the cart barn on a golf course to pay tournament entrance fees. It’s me and my Pops. Everything was split.”
Lott could not help but think about the shoulders that helped him reach such heights: Harry Edwards, an American socioologist and civil rights activist and Charlie Young, a former USC football player and 13-year NFL veteran. He was inspired to do something he had never done before.
“Why would I not help someone who really loves something?” Lott stated, “Why wouldn’t you help someone with a dream?” You always want others to be there for you to achieve success. That’s the best thing you can do to help another human being.
That day, Lott and Herrera exchanged numbers. He didn’t know that Herrera was going to be his mentor.
Herrera stated, “I had to look at him and then I was like, “Wow, that guy is big.” Two weeks later Lott called to ask a direct question: “How much do I need for the remainder of the year?”
Herrera said, “That’s how everything started.” I gave him a number, and he said “OK.” He also sent me the Tracy Toyota logo (of Lott’s car dealership) to make some shirts, hats, and a check. It was such an amazing relief. I play so much freer now.”
Runner-up Michael Herrera hits from the 18th tee during the final round of the 2022 John Shippen National Invitational at the Detroit Golf Club. (Photo by Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press)
Lott also connected Herrera to Sandy Sandoval, an agent whose clients include Patrick Reed. He helped him add a bunch of logos and designs to his shirt.
Herrera sends Lott a report after each tournament round. Lott asks Lott, “What can you do to improve?” Lott’s advice has stuck with Herrera: Be present in the moment, and be thankful for it.
“He pushes me,” Herrera said. It’s amazing to know that he is an athlete who knows what it takes. He is a great support system.”
Lott is not the only person who supports Herrera. Allison Keller, chief administrative officer of the PGA Tour, has also hosted him at tournaments in Jacksonville, Florida. They were so happy to receive a “sweet note” and a Starbucks card from Joseph Dent, an APGA pro.
She said, “He’s got personality plus.” “I believe he will make it in golf, but if he doesn’t I would love to hire him on the PGA Tour.”
Herrera is a basketball fan at heart. Herrera claims he was good enough to be a point guard in Division I college, but didn’t have the academic grades.
He said, “UC-Irvine wanted to me.”
After playing basketball at Riverside City College, Phil Mathews took a look at Herrera’s golf skills and he ended up playing hoops there. Mathews recognized Herrera’s potential and sat him down to tell him that he couldn’t keep playing basketball but that he was not going to be a great player. He could also be a great golfer.
Mathews told Herrera that he would cut him for his own benefit and introduced him to Ken Bentley, Advocates Pro Golf Association founder, who was his college roommate. He played with Herrera at Wilshire Country Club after Bentley, a former Nestle executive offered him a spot as an amateur in an APGA Tour event. Herrera finished in the top 10. Herrera became a professional in 2019 thanks to the support of Kevin Hall, a veteran pro who played college golf at Ohio State.
He said, “My game was stacked up and I thought, man. Maybe there’s something in here.”
He had his best year in 2022. This included his maiden APGA win in April at TPC Scottsdale, when he birdied at 18 to win by one stroke. He was eliminated at the second stage Korn Ferry Tour Q-School. This season, he has conditional status on PGA Tour Latinoamerican and PGA Tour Canada. Mathews was the one who informed his former player that he would be getting a PGA Tour exemption at Torrey Pines.
Herrera stated, “To have an exclusion into any event would be incredible just to see my game at that level,” before he received the news about his Farmers start.
I am thrilled to announce that I have been granted an exemption to play at the 2023 @FarmersInsOpen! It is a dream come true for me to get my first-ever PGA TOUR entry and to be able to play in my first PGA TOUR event as a child. Thanks to @WeAreFarmers for the opportunity https://t.co/JvdSaxkg4a
Michael Herrera (@Mik3_love14 December 5, 2022
Herrera, as a child, would drive past Cottonwood Golf Center, a nine hole, 1,226 yard, par-28 municipal golf course in his hometown, on the way to the mall or to basketball practice. He recalled seeing the grass and asking his father Hugo to take him there. Hugo emigrated from Guatemala when he was a teenager.
His father stated, “Golf’s a sport for the rich”
At the age of 10, his father agreed to let him play golf. Herrera broke the news that he would be competing against Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa at the Farmers Insurance Open. There were many tears of joy.
Herrera’s father said, “It’s just another step.” It’s only the beginning.
Herrera’s accomplishments are all the more impressive considering that he didn’t have a coach until his second season as a professional. He bought his clubs from a Roger Dunn golf shop. Callaway fitted him for clubs and he began receiving professional instruction. Lott is a late bloomer but believes that the best is yet ahead.
Lott stated, “I tell him keep grinding, I hope he keeps dreaming,” Lott added. “I live by one thing: exhaust every minute. That’s Michael. He is exhausting at all times. You know that’s all you can expect from a human being.
