British Open: Tiger's girlfriend was a cheerleader at Santaluces High School - Palm Beach Post

July 18, 2019 at 07:23AM

JUPITER — If Tiger Woods captures his latest British Open title this weekend, figure girlfriend Erica Herman will be there to greet the Jupiter Island resident at the 18th hole — just as she did when Woods won the Masters in May.

In the weeks since appearing on national television as Woods celebrated his historic win, Herman has remained in the news while facing a wrongful death lawsuit. The parents of Nicholas F. Immesberger sued Woods, Herman and the corporate entity for The Woods in May, saying the Jupiter restaurant's employees, managers and owners, excessively served their son alcohol even though they knew he was an alcoholic. Woods has since been dropped from the suit.

Immesberger, 24, died in a single-vehicle car wreck in December. The suit says Immesberger was intoxicated at the time of the crash, which happened after he finished a shift working at The Woods.

>> RELATED: Tiger Woods still could be sued over death of bartender, lawyer says

Herman, 34, identified in the suit as The Woods' general manager, isn't only connected to Palm Beach County through Woods and his flagship restaurant.

A cheerleader at Santaluces High

Herman lived in a neighborhood west of Boynton Beach during her childhood, according to residents, including a man who said Herman lived next-door years ago.

As a teenager, she attended Santaluces High School, a 2001 school yearbook shows. That academic year, Herman took part in the school's cheerleading squad, according to the yearbook. Coach Ann McCurdy, who has since retired, remembers Herman as an energetic member of the team who was "not fearful at all" about being stationed at the top of the squad's pyramids.

She attended Palm Beach State College

Herman attended both Palm Beach State College and the University of Central Florida. She dual-enrolled at Palm Beach State in 2002, according to Tabatha McDonald, the school's news and media relations coordinator.

>> Sign up for the weekly Post on Jupiter newsletter here

Starting in fall 2004, Herman attended UCF, where she majored in legal studies, said Heather Smith, assistant director of media relations at UCF. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in May 2008, Smith said.

The wrongful death suit isn't her first legal trouble

The recent wrongful death suit is the latest in a list of litigation Herman has faced, according to court records in West Palm Beach and Orlando.

She has been sued for not paying her rent, not paying off a loan on a 2006 BMW and not repaying business loans totaling nearly $300,000, court records show. In one case, her wages at The Woods were garnished to pay off a $240,000 debt to an Orlando area man.

In state records, she indicated her business woes were not her fault. "Original partner withdrew funds from business bank account and the business was never able to recover," she wrote in 2015 when she dissolved Aura Florida Lounges LLc, which also operated under the name, Don't Tell Anyone. She didn't name the partner.

She started working at The Woods early in its existence

Herman was on staff at The Woods when Anthony Curra began working in the restaurant's kitchen six to eight months after it opened in 2015, the Palm Beach Gardens man said.

He had little communication with Herman, he said, adding that Woods was at the restaurant "pretty often." Herman's relationship with the golfer at the time was "strictly professional," as far as he could tell, Curra said.

A trip to Northern Ireland?

This year's Open Championship makes a return to Northern Ireland at Royal Portrush.

So will we see Herman? Along with her appearance at The Masters, the pair were together at the Presidents Cup last fall and reportedly watched some of Wimbledon tennis from the stands. According to reports, she also was there at the Hero World Challenge and Tour Championship.

 

showard@pbpost.com

@SamuelHHoward

The Palm Beach Post

JUPITER — If Tiger Woods captures his latest British Open title this weekend, figure girlfriend Erica Herman will be there to greet the Jupiter Island resident at the 18th hole — just as she did when Woods won the Masters in May.

In the weeks since appearing on national television as Woods celebrated his historic win, Herman has remained in the news while facing a wrongful death lawsuit. The parents of Nicholas F. Immesberger sued Woods, Herman and the corporate entity for The Woods in May, saying the Jupiter restaurant's employees, managers and owners, excessively served their son alcohol even though they knew he was an alcoholic. Woods has since been dropped from the suit.

Immesberger, 24, died in a single-vehicle car wreck in December. The suit says Immesberger was intoxicated at the time of the crash, which happened after he finished a shift working at The Woods.

>> RELATED: Tiger Woods still could be sued over death of bartender, lawyer says

Herman, 34, identified in the suit as The Woods' general manager, isn't only connected to Palm Beach County through Woods and his flagship restaurant.

A cheerleader at Santaluces High

Herman lived in a neighborhood west of Boynton Beach during her childhood, according to residents, including a man who said Herman lived next-door years ago.

As a teenager, she attended Santaluces High School, a 2001 school yearbook shows. That academic year, Herman took part in the school's cheerleading squad, according to the yearbook. Coach Ann McCurdy, who has since retired, remembers Herman as an energetic member of the team who was "not fearful at all" about being stationed at the top of the squad's pyramids.

She attended Palm Beach State College

Herman attended both Palm Beach State College and the University of Central Florida. She dual-enrolled at Palm Beach State in 2002, according to Tabatha McDonald, the school's news and media relations coordinator.

>> Sign up for the weekly Post on Jupiter newsletter here

Starting in fall 2004, Herman attended UCF, where she majored in legal studies, said Heather Smith, assistant director of media relations at UCF. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in May 2008, Smith said.

The wrongful death suit isn't her first legal trouble

The recent wrongful death suit is the latest in a list of litigation Herman has faced, according to court records in West Palm Beach and Orlando.

She has been sued for not paying her rent, not paying off a loan on a 2006 BMW and not repaying business loans totaling nearly $300,000, court records show. In one case, her wages at The Woods were garnished to pay off a $240,000 debt to an Orlando area man.

In state records, she indicated her business woes were not her fault. "Original partner withdrew funds from business bank account and the business was never able to recover," she wrote in 2015 when she dissolved Aura Florida Lounges LLc, which also operated under the name, Don't Tell Anyone. She didn't name the partner.

She started working at The Woods early in its existence

Herman was on staff at The Woods when Anthony Curra began working in the restaurant's kitchen six to eight months after it opened in 2015, the Palm Beach Gardens man said.

He had little communication with Herman, he said, adding that Woods was at the restaurant "pretty often." Herman's relationship with the golfer at the time was "strictly professional," as far as he could tell, Curra said.

A trip to Northern Ireland?

This year's Open Championship makes a return to Northern Ireland at Royal Portrush.

So will we see Herman? Along with her appearance at The Masters, the pair were together at the Presidents Cup last fall and reportedly watched some of Wimbledon tennis from the stands. According to reports, she also was there at the Hero World Challenge and Tour Championship.

 

showard@pbpost.com

@SamuelHHoward

The Palm Beach Post

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