Men's Golf Early Signees Announced
November 12, 2004 | Men's Golf
Badger men's golf coach Jim Schuman announced the signing of two student-athletes to national letters of intent. Tyler Obermueller of River Falls, Wis., and Ben Herrera of Waukee, Iowa, will attend the University of Wisconsin starting fall of 2005.
Schuman said of his second recruiting class, 'We are very excited about the addition of Tyler Obermueller and Ben Herrera to the University of Wisconsin and its golf program. Both players are individual state champions, and bring with them experience and success at the national level. They are eager to compete as members of the Badger golf team. Their enthusiasm and passion for the game of golf and the University of Wisconsin is contagious and exciting to be around. We expect both Tyler and Ben to contribute immediately both on and off the golf course.'
Obermueller, whose sister Jackie is a senior on junior on the UW women's team, is a two-time Division I WIAA state champion in 2002 and 2004. He led River Falls High School to two Division I WIAA State High School Championships in 2002 and 2004. His team tied for third at the 2003 WIAA State High School Championship. He earned WIAA first team all-state honors in 2003 and 2004.
In national tournament play, Obermueller advanced to the round of 16 in match play at the 2004 USGA Junior Amateur Championship (lost to eventual champion 1 up) at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. He shot seven under par with rounds of 72-65 '137 at the 2004 USGA Junior Amateur. He qualified for 2003 USGA Junior Amateur Championship at Columbia Country Club and competed on the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Tour. He carries a +2.1 handicap and is ranked 190th in the 2005 class according to Junior Golf Scoreboard.
Herrera is another 2.0 handicapper and ranked the 66th best player in the 2005 class by GolfWeek/Titleist Performance Index. Hailing from just outside of Des Moines, Iowa, he was the 4A Iowa State High School Individual Champion in 2004 shooting a five-under-par 70-69'139 while leading Valley High School to a second place team finish. A two-time IHSAA District Medalist in 2003 and 2004, he tied for fourth individually at the 2003 4A state championships, and tied for ninth in 2002. He set the 18-hole state high school golf record in 2004 with a seven-under 63, and won eight of 11 high school events last year.
In national events he had three top 25 finishes in 2003-2004 AJGA events and four top 10 finishes in the 2003-2004 IJGT events. He tied for fifth at the 2004 USGA US Open Local Qualifying (2nd alternate) and was seventh at the 2004 USGA US Amateur Qualifying. At the 2004 USGA US Junior Amateur Qualifying he placed second, and was 36th at 2004 Western Junior Amateur Championship.
