52nd Higginbotham Texas State Open Set for Return to Tyler, Registration Now Open

Molly Rawlins • April 11, 2022

Dallas, TX - The 52nd playing of the Higginbotham Texas State Open is set to return to The Cascades Country Club in Tyler, TX.  The tournament will take place July 26-29, 2022.


Higginbotham is returning as title sponsor for the second year after signing a multi-year agreement with the Northern Texas PGA in 2021, and the Championship will be presented by Joyce Crane and Veritex Bank. 


“Partnering with the Northern Texas PGA was a perfect fit for Higginbotham because both of our organizations are committed to positively impacting the communities we serve through exceptional people who live by the core values that guide us,” said Higginbotham Chairman and CEO Rusty Reid.


2022 will mark the 11th time The Cascades Country Club has hosted – a record for any facility in the storied history of this Championship.


“The membership at the club, as well as the entire community of Tyler embrace the Higginbotham Texas State Open.  Our team is very excited to continue to work with the exceptional team at The Cascades Country Club," said Executive Director/CEO of the Northern Texas PGA Mark Harrison when speaking about The Cascades Country Club. 


In 2021, the field competed for a record $210,000 purse.  The eventual Champion, Jack Ireland, collected first-place prize money of $42,500.


This year's Championship will be a 72-hole stroke play event and consist of 156 professionals and amateurs who will play 36-holes before a cut is made to the low 55 scores and ties.  The field will be made up of exempt players as well as qualifiers who will compete for a projected purse of  $200,000.


The Higginbotham Texas State Open is open to all professionals, competitive amateurs and junior golfers with advanced tournament experience. Qualifying for the Championship will be conducted during the months of June and July at 16 qualifying sites.  The deadline to register is Thursday, June 2.


Additionally, the field will include the following exempt players should they choose to participate: (1) Past Champions, (2) Top 10 professionals and ties from the 2021 Texas State Open, (3) Top 2 amateurs and ties from the 2021 Texas State Open, (4) Low PGA Professional from the 2021 Texas State Open, (5) Top 15 and ties from the 2021 final Northern Texas PGA and Southern Texas PGA Player of the Year Point Standings, (9) Top 10 point earners on the 2022 Northern Texas PGA Players Tour, (10) Top money leader from the APT 2021 Fall Series Money List. Sponsors and host facility exemptions will also be reserved for certain players.


Congratulations to the players who received exemptions at the beginning of March upon the completion of the NTPGA Players Tour. Toni Hakula - Austin, TX, Blaine Hale - Dallas, TX, Shawn Lu - Dallas, TX, Brandon Smith - Frisco, TX, Andrew Presley - Fort Worth, TX, William Holcomb - Crockett, TX, Ryan Grider - Lewisville, TX, Declan Kenny - Dallas, TX, and Chris Brown - Fort Worth, TX, have all earned a place in this year’s Championship. 


Proceeds from the Championship will benefit the Northern Texas PGA Foundation’s scholarship program with the awarding of the Higginbotham Texas State Open scholarship. The scholarship is designated for an NTPGA Junior Tour Member from the Tyler area who will be attending college this fall. This year alone, the Northern Texas PGA Foundation is projected to award more than $600,000 in scholarships to approximately 65 high school seniors from North Texas. 


More information and registration for the 52nd Higginbotham Texas State Open can be found at
www.ntpga.com/texas-state-open.  Please contact the Northern Texas PGA office at (214) 420-7421 for further questions.


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ABOUT HIGGINBOTHAM INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. 

Employee owned and customer inspired, Higginbotham is a single source solution for insurance, financial and HR services. The firm is ranked as the nation’s 21st largest independent insurance firm, making it the largest Texas-based broker. Serving thousands of businesses and individuals across 10 states, Higginbotham’s approach to finding insurance, employee benefit and risk management solutions is more individual and less institutional. By understanding customer priorities, eliminating inefficiencies and committing to transparency, Higginbotham is a place that leads with values so value leads.

ABOUT THE CASCADES COUNTRY CLUB

The Cascades Country Club, a Master-Planned 5-Star community, is the most comprehensive community in East Texas. This luxury lakefront golf, tennis, fitness and residential community sits on 386 acres and is located just five miles from downtown Tyler, Texas. The Cascades Country Club  is also conveniently located midway between Dallas, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana. The Cascades Country Club golf course was re-designed by PGA Tour player Mark Hayes to challenge players at any skill level. Lush, tour-quality greens and broad fairways wind among tall oak and pine trees, with many holes set alongside scenic lakes on the golf course, and a stunning backdrop framed by Lake Bellwood greeting you on your first tee shot of the day. 


ABOUT THE NORTHERN TEXAS PGA

The Northern Texas PGA is one of 41 Sections of the PGA of America and its geographic territory includes the State of Texas north of the 31st latitude, or just north of Austin. The Northern Texas PGA has approximately 850 PGA members and associates employed at more than 300 facilities.  The Northern Texas PGA has 17 full-time staff members and is currently headquartered in Dallas. The Northern Texas PGA will be joining the PGA of America national office relocation to Frisco in the summer of 2022 with its own state-of-the-art headquarters on the PGA Frisco campus. 


In addition to managing the day-to-day affairs of the Section, the Northern Texas PGA also operates a non-profit and charitable foundation that focuses on five pillars: junior golf, college scholarships, inclusion, internships and military & veterans. 

The mission of the Northern Texas PGA is to serve PGA Members and grow the game.

By Molly Rawlins April 8, 2026
GRAPEVINE, Texas – Registration is now open for the 2026 Destination Grapevine Texas Women’s Open and its qualifying events. The Championship will take place Wednesday, May 27, through Friday, May 29, at Grapevine Golf Course. This 46th year of the Championship marks another chapter in the event’s rich history, continuing its tradition as one of the premier women’s tournaments in Texas. The projected overall purse is $80,000. For the third consecutive year, Grapevine Golf Course will serve as host, reinforcing the City of Grapevine’s commitment to supporting and growing women’s golf. Known for its hospitality and spirited community, Grapevine looks forward to building on the success of previous Championships while delivering a first-class experience for players and spectators alike. The 2026 Championship continues its partnership with the ANNIKA Women’s All Pro Tour (WAPT). Thanks to the support of the ANNIKA WAPT, this Championship allows the top two finishers to receive exemptions into the Epson Tour’s Island Resort Championship, June 22–28 in Harris, Michigan. Additionally, ANNIKA WAPT members will earn points toward the Callaway Race to Q2, with all earnings counting toward the 2026 ANNIKA WAPT Official Money List. A total of 144 players will compete in a 54-hole stroke play format, with a cut to the low 50 players and ties after 36 holes. New for 2026, players shall gain access to compete in the Championship through qualifying events unless they are otherwise exempt. Exemption categories for the 2026 Destination Grapevine Texas Women’s Open include: Past Champions Top 10 professionals and ties from the 2025 Destination Grapevine Texas Women’s Open Top five amateurs and ties from the 2025 Destination Grapevine Texas Women’s Open First five LPGA Tour Members First 10 Epson Tour Members ANNIKA Top 80 through third event ending April 24 Five amateurs ranked within the Top 500 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking Six All American Tour Exemptions Two Legends Junior Tour Exemptions Two Prestige Exemptions One Host Exemption Two Sponsor Exemptions Three NTPGA/WAPT Exemptions Three Good Good Golf Exemptions Eligibility for the 2026 Destination Grapevine Texas Women’s Open is open to professional and amateur golfers. Amateurs are encouraged to hold a USGA Handicap Index of 6.4 or lower. Additionally, the Championship is recognized as an official Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking and World Amateur Golf Ranking event, further enhancing its prestige and competitive significance. Registration for the 2026 Championship can be found HERE . Qualifying information can be found HERE . For more information about the Destination Grapevine Texas Women’s Open, visit www.ntpga.com/texas-womens-open . For those wishing to attend the event, admission is complimentary, allowing fans to enjoy top-tier women’s golf in an accessible public setting at one of Texas’ top-ranked public courses. With more than 20 hotels to stay at, it is an easy weekend getaway while you catch the action or play a few rounds of your own. Grapevine offers a wide range of accommodations from luxury resorts like the Gaylord Texan to family-friendly stays like Great Wolf Lodge, plus a variety of select-service hotels. For more information, visit www.grapevinetexasusa.com/texaswomensopen . ###
By Erik Anderson March 31, 2026
Golding and Walden win Senior Division
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THE COLONY, Texas (March 2) – The team of Robert Bruns, PGA Head Professional at Trinity Forest Golf Club, along with partner Chase Walts, PGM Student at Methodist University who currently works as an assistant at Trinity Forest Golf Club won the 2026 KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship after a two hole playoff. The two carded a bogey-free, 12-under-par, final score after shooting 64 on Old American Golf Club and a 31 on the back nine of Tribute Golf Links. They bested the team of Spencer Dillard and Alastair Jones from Preston Trail Golf Club. The 27-hole, Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship was hosted at Golf Clubs at The Tribute for the sixth straight year. Teams played Old American Golf Club and the back nine of Tribute Golf Links. Bruns and Walts both had looks inside 10 feet on the second playoff hole, though it was Bruns who poured in the winning putt. “I knew he had it in the bag, so I think that made it much easier for me to just be free and let it go,” said Bruns. Walts recently became an assistant professional at Trinity Forest, and said, “Robert is such a huge mentor to me and my career already. I hope to learn from everything he knows and that goes for golf as well.” “It makes it much easier when you’re in the mix coming down the fairway and you have a great relationship with each other. At the end of the day you’re just having fun,” Bruns said after their victory. This is the first win for both Bruns and Walts in Section Major Championships. The pair earned $3,200 ($1,600 each) out of the record $32,000 total championship purse. The KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship was presented by Callaway Golf, Club Car, Evolve Golf, Landmark Golf Course Products, Range Servant, THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, and Winston Collection. View the final results HERE . Old American Golf Club Par: 35-36–71 Yardage: 6,770 Tribute Golf Links (Back nine) Par: 36 Yardage: 3,368