Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2021 - 27

Minnesota Golf
Hall of Fame
The Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame announced the 2021 Class of Hall of Fame inductees
Aug. 18: Carson Lee Herron, posthumously, and Sammy Schmitz, 40, of Hudson,
Wis. The two will be inducted into the MGA-PGA Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame
at the upcoming MGA Annual Meeting, Nov. 1 at Oak Ridge Country Club in
Hopkins, Minn.
Carson Lee Herron
Known by his middle name, Lee, Herron attended the
University of Minnesota, where he helped form the school's
fi rst golf team, led the challenge to achieve varsity sports status
and was the fi rst golfer to earn a varsity letter in 1925. He was
a three-time medalist at the MGA State Amateur Championship
in an era when stroke-play qualifying led to match-play brackets
and the eventual champion. In 1933 at Interlachen CC,
Herron defeated Bobby Campbell, 10 and 8, in the
fi nals. Having won the Minnesota State Open the previous
year, Herron became the third golfer to earn both open and
amateur championships in the state. Further, thanks to a win at the 1927 Iowa State
Amateur, he was the fi rst competitor to be crowned the amateur champ from these
two border states.
A year later, in 1934, Herron qualifi ed for the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur.
He would qualify for the 1938 U.S. Amateur, as well. Herron joins two of his descendants
in the Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame: granddaughter Alissa (Herron) Super, Class
of 2015; and grandson Tim Herron, Class of 2017.
Sammy Schmitz
After graduating from St. John's University and playing
golf professionally,
Schmitz, a native of Farmington,
Minn., regained amateur status and focused on winning state
amateur championships. He won consecutive State Public
Links Championships in 2012-2013; three MGA MidAmateur
titles, in 2011, 2012 and 2016; and two MGA matchplay
titles, the 2012 MGA Mid-Players' and the 2018 MGA
Players' championships. Schmitz had twice qualifi ed for
match play at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship,
in 2011 and reaching the round of 32 the next year, before
reaching the fi nal match in 2015 at the John's Island Club in Vero Beach, Fla. On the
33rd hole using a driver, Schmitz aced the par-4 15th hole to go " dormie " -
three holes up with three to play. He would tie the next hole for a 3-and-2 victory
over Marc Dull of Lakeland, Fla. Thanks to the U.S. Mid-Amateur win, Schmitz
was invited to play Augusta National Golf Club the following spring at the annual
Masters Tournament.
The Minnesota Hall of Fame was established in 1987 to recognize Minnesotans
for their outstanding contributions to the game of golf. A selection committee meets
annually to review nominations and select inductees.
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Fall 2021 MINNESOTAGOLFER
27
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Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2021

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