Michael Herrera edges stellar field to win APGA TOUR at TPC Scottsdale

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – Veteran standout Michael Herrera picked up his second APGA Tour win in 16 months with a decisive 18th-hole birdie to win the APGA Tour at TPC Scottsdale title Tuesday.

Winner of the season-opening Crossings at Carlsbad APGA Tour event in January of 2021, Herrera obtained the sponsorship support for Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott later in the year and earned conditional status on PGA TOUR Canada earlier this month.

Herrera shot a three-under 68 today, capping the round with a 30-foot birdie putt that he needed to pull into the lead at four-under 138. Daniel Augustus of Bermuda finished second at 3-under 139. Third place was shared by Kendall Hodges of Las Vegas, Rovonta Young of Huntsville, Alabama, and Tommy Schaff of Ridgeland, South Carolina, who finished at 140 during two days on the par 71, 7,115-yard layout.

Notah Begay, the prominent golf broadcaster and four-time PGA TOUR winner, brought special attention to the tournament by testing his skills against the field and finished 20th.

“I’ve been playing consistently well,” said Herrera, a resident of Moreno Valley, California. “I felt I left a lot out there yesterday, so knew I could roll in a few putts today and I did.”

Herrera finished 27th at PGA TOUR Canada Q-School earlier this month, earning conditional status that provides Monday qualifying opportunities. He is one of several members of the APGA Tour Player Development Program and is in the field for next month’s Billy Horschel APGA Tour Invitational presented by Cisco at TPC Sawgrass. “It’s a great opportunity to play a great golf course,” Herrera added. “A win at the Billy Horschel Invitational can change your year.”

Herrera also bested some of the APGA Tour top guns, including Tim O’Neal who finished tied for sixth with Jordan Bohannon. Other members of the Player Development Program headed to the May 6-7 Horschel Invitational are Ryan Alford, Aaron Beverly, Marcus Byrd, Mulbe Dillard, Kamaiu Johnson, Mahindra Lutchman, Willie Mack, Trey Valentine, Davin White, Andrew Walker and Rovonta Young.

The APGA Tour was established in 2010 with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf by hosting and operating professional golf tournaments, player development programs, mentoring programs, and introducing the game to inner-city young people. The tour has grown from seven events with $200,000 in prize money in 2020 and 14 events with over $400,000 in prize money in 2021, and now 18 events with over $700,000 in prize money in 2022.