12 Competitors Advance to 52nd Higginbotham Texas State Open Via Second Chance Qualifying

Steven Clements • July 21, 2022
DALLAS, TX – The 52nd Higginbotham Texas State Open Second Chance Qualifying tournament featured a field of 201 players competing for the final 12 spots into the Championship. The 18-hole stroke play event was contested at two sites - Bridlewood Golf Club in Flower Mound, Texas and Firewheel Golf Park’s Lakes Course in Garland, Texas.

 

The following players punched their ticket into the Championship.

 

Bridlewood Golf Club Qualifiers: Bryce Verplank (a) of Flower Mound, Texas; Josh Anderson of Grand Prairie, Texas; Andy Lopez, of Dallas, Texas; David Lee of Dallas, Texas; Nickolas Martinez (a) of Cypress, Texas; Chris Kunda of Grand Prairie, Texas.

 

Firewheel Golf Park Lakes Course Qualifiers: Josh Radcliff of Grapevine, Texas; Scott Newton of Austin, Texas; Ryan Baca of Sugar Land, Texas; Chandler Phillips of Huntsville, Texas; Sean Wilcox of Frisco, Texas; James Nitties of Dallas, Texas.

 

Playoffs were conducted at each site to order the 14 alternate positions. Alternates #1, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11 and #13 were determined at Bridlewood Golf Club, and alternates #2, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12 and #14 were determined at Firewheel Golf Park’s Lakes Course. The official order of alternates for the Championship is listed below.

 

Official Alternate List:

1. Sean Romero of Texarkana, AR

2. Frederick Wedel of Spring, TX

3. Truett Burns (a) of Fredericksburg, TX

4. Logan Lockwood of Van, TX

5. Howon Kim (a) of Ranger, TX

6. George Toone of Plano, TX

7. Austin Wylie of Boerne, TX

8. Zack Pritchett of Ripley, MS

9. Charles Kim of Cedar Park, TX

10. Jake Eklund of Carterville, IL

11. Jose Pelayo of Addison, TX

12. Tripp Wallace (a) of Lubbock, TX

13. Michael McGowan of Southern Pines, NC

14. Kevin Graves of Plano, TX

 

The 52nd Higginbotham Texas State Open is a 72-hole stroke play event consisting of 156 professionals and amateurs competing for a $200,000 projected purse. The field will play 36-holes before being cut to the low 55 scores and ties. All four rounds will be contested at The Cascades Country Club from Tuesday, July 26 through Friday, July 29.

 

52nd Higginbotham Texas State Open Second Chance Qualifying Tournament Final Results.

 

NOTE: (a) - denotes amateur

 

Bridlewood Golf Club

Par: 36-36–72

Yardage: 7,110 yards

 

Firewheel Golf Park Lakes Course

Par: 36-36–72

Yardage: 7,134 yards

Northern Texas PGA Announces 2026 Chapter Award Winners

By Erik Anderson • October 26, 2026
On behalf of each NTPGA Chapter Awards Committee, East Texas, Metro Texas and West Texas, we are pleased to announce the 2026 Northern Texas PGA Chapter Award Winners below. 2026 East Chapter Award Winners Golf Professional of the Year Tim Lawson, The Pinnacle Golf Club Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Justin Benson, Eagle's Bluff Country Club Teacher & Coach of the Year Cory Ryan, Crown Colony Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Private Kendall Earp Motes, Sulphur Springs Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Public Doug Myer, Tyler Golf Professional Development Award John Sikes, Eagle's Bluff Country Club Bill Strausbaugh Award Doug Myer, Tyler Golf Player Development Award John Sikes, Eagle's Bluff Country Club Patriot Award Dick Goetz, PGA Life Member Youth Player Development Award Mike Williams, Alpine Target Golf Center 2026 Metro Chapter Award Winners Golf Professional of the Year Abe Hernandez, Royal Oaks Country Club Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Shelly Davis, Dallas Athletic Club Teacher & Coach of the Year Gabe Reynolds, Topgolf - Dallas Merchandiser of the Year - Private Brian Schorsten, Colonial Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Public Chad Williams, Tierra Verde Golf Club Professional Development Award Deborah Foley, PGA of America Bill Strausbaugh Award Trish Holt, Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco Player Development Award Michelle Edgar, The Clubs of Prestonwood - The Hills Patriot Award Bob Nied, The Courses at Watters Creek Youth Player Development Award Garrett Anderson, Golf Clubs at The Tribute 2026 West Chapter Award Winners  Golf Professional of the Year Jimmy Tidwell, Abilene Country Club Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Dru Hein, Midland Country Club Teacher & Coach of the Year Brandon Veld, Red Feather Golf & Social Club Merchandiser of the Year - Private Matt Lawson, Lubbock Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Public Casey Renner, Palo Duro Creek Golf Course Professional Development Award Brian Nagy, Abilene Country Club Bill Strausbaugh Award Jake McCullough, Odessa Country Club Player Development Award Thomas Martin, Green Tree Country Club Patriot Award George Priolo, Ross Rogers Golf Complex Youth Player Development Award Ryan Osgood, Odessa Country Club Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients.

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Dillard Wins $25,000 at Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Shootout at The Oaks in Back-to-Back Years

By Erik Anderson • September 29, 2026
GREENVILLE, Texas (September 28) – For the second year in a row, Spencer Dillard, PGA director of golf at Golf Clubs at The Tribute, claimed the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Shootout at The Oaks, taking home $25,000 for the win. Just like last year, it took Dillard two playoff holes to best runner-up Nick Paez, instructor at The Ronny Golf Park. Both players found the 440-yard, par 4, 9th green in two, but a costly three-putt from Paez from 35 feet led to Dillard finishing off a nervy three-foot putt for the win. Dillard also won with a par in last year’s event and has now taken home the victory in two out of three years in the event’s short history. “It’s pretty special, just the opportunity to play in the event. I just can’t thank Dr. Ransom enough for putting this on and all he does for us,” said Dillard. “Just being able to play is a huge deal and then lasting through the shootout is so tough, so it feels great to be here.” The players in the shootout were battling in what seemed to be a competition of who could continue to make birdies. “Nathan was 9-under through a 12-hole stretch today and still went out. There is so much talent in our Section, so you got to go win it,” said Dillard. Longtime Northern Texas PGA Foundation supporter Jerry J. Ransom welcomed 98 Northern Texas PGA Members and Associates to The Oaks Country Club for the third annual Shootout. The event was created to recognize the PGA Professionals across the Section who dedicate their time and energy to growing the game through the NTPGA Foundation’s initiatives. The event was developed by Ransom as a way to thank PGA Professionals across the Northern Texas Section while also providing exposure to The Oaks Country Club. The Oaks is a top-five nine-hole course in Texas according to the Dallas Morning News golf course rankings. The format for the event featured a 9-hole qualifier, with the top three finishers and one randomly selected participant moving on to the evening shootout. Nathan Park, instructor at Stonebriar Country Club, qualified first after finishing with an impressive 6-under-par, 30. Dillard was the next to advance, carding a 4-under-par, 32, and finally Paez at 3-under-par, 33, who won a six-for-one spot playoff with a birdie on the first extra hole in the playoff. Zack Vinson, PGA head professional at Athens Country Club, was the random drawing winner. The nine-hole Shootout portion of the event was played in three stages of three holes each, with one professional eliminated after every stage. After the first three holes, Vinson was eliminated and landed a prize of $2,500. The scores were then reset to even par, and the second three holes saw Nathan Park bow out, despite being 9-under-par through 15 holes. He played his final three holes in the shootout at even par. Still, he earned $7,500 for his efforts. The scores again reset to even par for the final three-hole segment, where Dillard and Paez battled it out for three holes, followed by two extra holes in the playoff.