Thirty two year old Herman, playing in his third year on the Nationwide Tour and in his third appearance at the Moonah Classic picked up five birdies each on the front and back nine in a blemish free performance to beat the course record set by Australian Robert Allenby in the first round of the 2005 Australian Open by one shot.
 
“I wasn’t aware that I created a record, it’s a great honour to beat someone with Robert’s record. This is by far my most consistent round,” said Herman who missed the cut last year and finished T22 at the inaugural event in 2008.
 
Herman’s home stretch included four birdies in his first six holes which featured a 25 foot putt for birdie at the second and a monster 35 foot putt for birdie at the fifth.
 
“I felt really good on the greens and I have never been considered the best putter so to see the ball rolling in hole after hole was really good for my confidence,” he said. “Sometimes it just happens and you really just want to get out of your own way at that point. That was my main goal today, to stay out of fairway bunkers.”
 
Today’s performance was particularly gratifying for Herman who is yet to claim a professional title and who just days before last week’s Michael Hill New Zealand Open (where he missed the cut) found out he was eligible to play in the event.
 
“I wasn’t even expecting to come here. I think I was fourth alternate for both events and as of four days before I was due to fly out to New Zealand I had no plans of coming out here so it’s a blessing to be here and I will be trying to take full advantage of it.”
 
“I just wanted to get off to a good start this week and I think I have done that. Hopefully this will lead to some good rounds.”
 
The Ohio native holds a handy four shot lead over his closest rival Australian Andre Stolz (66) who was leader for most of the day until Herman caught him at the 4th (Herman’s 12th hole).  Stolz despite sleeping through his alarm this morning, managed to get to the course on time and fire a solid six under 66.
 
Stolz, who won the 2004 Michelin Championship in Las Vegas but whose career has been affected in recent years by a chronic wrist injury, peeled off four birdies in seven holes from the 12th tee but said after his round that he could have birdied every hole to the turn if his putting had been better.
 
The 39-year-old added three more birdies on the front nine with only a lone bogey at the 3rd when he drove his tee shot into a bunker costing him a 65 but overall he was well pleased with his day's work.
 
“I know how to play this golf course but whether I can hit it in the right spot or not is another thing,” joked the laid back Stolz who now lives on the Central Coast of NSW.
 
“Today I hit it pretty good. I actually missed alot of putts early. I could have birdied every hole of the back nine this morning. I hit it really close on ten, probably three feet and missed it and 11 and 12 I hit in really close and missed and then 13 I could have actually birdied every hole on the back nine so overall it was good.”
 
Tied for third place one shot back is fellow Aussie Paul Sheehan and Americans Bobby MacWhinnie, and Jim Carter (67) with a group of 13 players including Aussies Aaron  Townsend, Jarrod Lyle, Gary Simpson and Steve Jones (68) a further shot back and tied for sixth. Also in sixth place are Kiwis Gareth Paddison and Brad Iles alongside Americans Darron Stiles, Andrew Svoboda, Ryan Armour, Jamie Lovemark and Canadian Jon Mills.
 
Defending Champion Alistair Presnell had a mixed round. Even at the turn he ran into trouble with birdies at 11 and 13 to go to two over but re-grouped with three birdies in his final four holes to finish on one under. 2008 Champion Ewan Porter struggled to two over for the round. Returning from injury Sydney’s Peter Lonard finished at one under for the day.
Tomorrow’s second round will tee off at 7:15am.