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Herman fires 62 to lead Moonah Classic

Thu 4th, February 2010

Victoria, Australia (Sports Network) - Jim Herman fired a 10-under 62 Thursday to take a four-stroke lead after the opening round of the Moonah Classic.

Herman's 62 easily established a new course record on the Open Course at Moonah Links. Ewan Porter had set the old mark of 66 in 2008.

The 62 was even more impressive when you look at how hard Moonah played in 2009. Last year, Moonah ranked as the fourth-hardest course on tour, playing to an average of 72.916 for the week. Just three holes, three of the four par- fives, had scoring averages under par last year.

"Obviously, you shoot a 62 and it is hard to improve on that, but I think I can build off of it," Herman said. "Stick to my plan of hitting fairways and just go from there."

Australian Andre Stolz is alone in second place at minus-six. Herman's fellow Americans Jim Carter and Bobby MacWhinnie share third place with Australian Paul Sheehan at five-under 67.

Stolz when out in the morning wave and owned the lead for quite a while. That was until Herman made the turn to his second nine on Thursday.

Herman played the back nine first and opened with a birdie on the 11th. He flew up the leaderboard with four birdies in a five-hole span from the 14th to turn in five-under.

The 32-year-old American birdied the par-five second to join Stolz at six- under. Herman continued his hot play by pouring in three straight birdie efforts from the fourth.

Herman moved to 10-under with a birdie on the par-four eighth. He parred the ninth, his last, for a four-stroke lead.

"I just wanted to get off to a good start this week," Herman admitted. "Last week in New Zealand, I got off to a rough start. I bogeyed two of my first three holes and it just seemed like I was battling all week and I ended up missing the cut by two."

Stolz, a winner on both the Nationwide and PGA Tours, also played the back nine first. He dropped in three birdies in a four-hole span from the 12th to get his round going.

The Australian birdied three straight from the 18th. His birdie run ended with a bogey on the par-four third. Stolz was done in there by a poor drive into a bunker. He bounced right back to birdie the fourth before parring out.

"I hit my drive good, I just hit it too good and it just got to the bunker through the fairway," Stolz said of his tee shot on No. 3. "It's always an awkward tee shot. I actually had a three-wood out and I thought 'No, I'll just hit a little nice smooth driver' and I just hit it too good."

There is a logjam of 12 players tied for sixth place at four-under 68. That group includes David Hearn, Jon Mills, Darron Stiles, Gareth Paddison, Gary Simpson, Ryan Armour, Aaron Townsend, Jarrod Lyle, Bradley Iles, Andrew Svoboda, Jamie Lovemark and Steven Jones.

NOTES: Last week's runner-up Andrew Dodt headlines a group of 14 players at minus-three, while 2005 President Cup International team member Mark Hensby is one shot back at two-under 70...Last week's winner Robert Gates opened with a one-under 71 and is tied for 51st.