The 32 year old who found out he was in the tournament just a week and a half before leaving his hometown of Cincinnati Ohio shot a final round two under par to equal overnight leader Chris Kirk on 11 under par before triumphing on the first play-off hole with a brilliant birdie.
 
“I’m overwhelmed! It’s a dream,” said Herman who came into the event having missed his last seven cuts. “I’ve been waiting for this to happen for a long time, a professional win.”
 
Having led the tournament after every round following his brilliant course-record 62 on the opening day, with Kirk joining him at the top after 54 holes, Herman made the most of Kirk's faltering finish to take out the $USD700,000 Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned event. Kirk had led by two with just three holes to play but bogeys at 16 and 17 saw him fall back to 11 under with Herman as the pair parred the final hole to finish tied for first.
 
Returning to the 18th for the playoff, a poor second shot from Kirk meant he came up short of the green with his third while Herman hit his approach to within six feet and then holed his birdie putt after Kirk had pitched to within 10 feet for his par.
 
“I couldn’t have played that 18th hole better, said Herman, who disguised his nerves well, happily signing autographs between his 72nd hole and the play- off hole.  
 
“I am just so pleased with how I hung in there today and all week. There was alot of grinding and alot of nerves. I might look relaxed but the more I am talking (to my caddy) the less nervous I get. We talked about sports and movies and just anything to calm me down a bit.”  
 
A tad superstitious, Herman revealed he woke up this morning and changed his original choice of black shirt to blue after observing pictures of the past champions.
 
“I walked by pictures of Alistair Presnell and Ewan Porter everyday and they had blue shirts on. I am pretty superstitious so I pulled it (the blue shirt) back out and thought everyone on that wall whose won this event has had a light blue shirt on so why fight it!”
 
Having stormed into contention on Saturday with a superb 65 in the toughest winds of the week, Kirk eventually finished at 11 under thanks to a two-under 70 on the final day, with Herman's matching score forcing them to sudden death. For Kirk it was his second play-off loss on the Nationwide Tour after he fell to Jarrod Lyle at the 2008 Knoxville Open.
 
Last week’s Michael Hill New Zealand Open winner American Robert Gates made a late run at the finish line picking up four shots in his final five holes to close with a sizzling round of six under 66 and move up four places to finish in outright third place.
 
Local hope and crowd favourite Jarrod Lyle threw down the early challenge from the Aussies when he flew out of the blocks with two birdies and an eagle in his first four holes and moved to ten under par and a shot behind Kirk at the 12th. A bogey at the 13th was followed by a birdie on 15 but a dropped shot at the 16th as Kirk picked up birdies at the 14th and 15th saw Lyle’s bid for the title all but dashed. The burly Victorian finished the best of the aussies on nine under par and in a tie for fourth place.
 
Colombian Manny Villegas, the younger brother of USPGA Tour star Camilo shot a final round five under par to take sixth place on 8 under, with New Zealand Open runner up Andrew Dodt (70) finishing one shot behind in seventh place. Americans Jeff Brehaut (68) and Martin Piller (68) were tied for eighth while a group of five players including Victorians Steve Jones (71) and 2002 Australian Open Champion Steve Allan (67) and Kiwi Michael Hendry (66) were tied for tenth on five under. Hendry’s round was highlighted by a hole in one at the par three, 5th.
 
Defending Champion Alistair Presnell shot a final round 73 to finish on four under par.  
 
The Australasian Tour now moves next week to the Home of the PGA of Australia, the Sandhurst club for the 2010 Cellarbrations Victorian PGA Championship which begins on Thursday February 11.