Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame Names 2021 Inductees

Hall of Fame

EDINA, Minn., – The Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame has announced the 2021 Class of Hall of Fame inductees: Carson Lee Herron, posthumously, and Sammy Schmitz, 40, of Hudson, Wis., (pictured). 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.  

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.

Carson Lee Herron
Known by his middle name, Lee, Herron attended the University of Minnesota, where he helped form the school’s first golf team, led the challenge to achieve varsity sports status and was the first 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 finals. 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 first competitor to be crowned the amateur champ from these two border states.

A year later, in 1934, Herron qualified 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 Mid-Amateur titles, in 2011-2012 and 2016; and two MGA match-play titles, the 2012 MGA Mid-Players' and the 2018 MGA Players’ championships. Schmitz had twice qualified for match play at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, in 2011 and reaching the round of 32 the next year, before reaching the final 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 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.

About the MGA-PGA Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame
The MGA-PGA Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame was established in 1987 to recognize Minnesotans for their outstanding contributions to the game of golf. A committee of allied golf associations meets annually to determine nominations. The MGA-PGA Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame is housed at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids and is operated and supported by the Minnesota Golf Association and the Minnesota Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. For more information, contact MGA Executive Director, Tom Ryan at 952-345-3971 or Minnesota Section PGA COO, Jon Tollette at 763-754-0820.
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