Barton Claims Prize Possessions Eastern Championship Title
Taylor Coffelt • July 15, 2020
With a birdie to finish the round, Jeff Barton, PGA director of instruction at Preston Trail Golf Club, captured the Prize Possessions Eastern Championship with rounds of 68-71–139, 5-under-par. This win marks his second Northern Texas PGA individual major championship. He took home a check for $3,000.
“This win is awesome,” Barton said after the round. “Both days I had good control of my golf ball, I gave myself a lot of opportunities and tried to apply some pressure [to the other leaders].”
Three professionals finished one shot behind Barton, including Brian Norman, PGA assistant professional at Royal Oaks Country Club, Stetson McMillan, teaching professional at the John Sikes Golf Academy, and Matt Ryba, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club.
The Championship included a Senior Division with 37 professionals aged 50 or older who competed for a separate $10,885 purse and played at a modified yardage. Bruce Smith, PGA director of instruction at Black Belt Golf Academy, finished with a two-day total of 6-under-par 138 to claim the 2020 Prize Possessions Eastern Championship Senior Division champion title. He took home a check for $1,400.
“I really wasn’t expecting it,” Smith said of his win. “I think I’ve come in second in every other major [championship] so it’s nice to snag the title. I was just trying to fight my own personal battle of not making any bogeys.”
This 36-hole NTPGA major championship was the second of four individual stroke play events that comprise the Yamaha Golf-Car Company & Srixon / Cleveland Golf / XXIO / ASICS Player of the Year Points Challenge presented by Adventures In Golf, and served as a qualifier for the 2020 Texas Joe Black Cup and Levy Cup teams. The Prize Possessions Eastern Championship featured a field of 124 Northern Texas PGA Members and Associates competing at Gentle Creek Country Club in Prosper.
The Prize Possessions Eastern Championship was presented by AT&T Byron Nelson, E-Z-GO, GolfProPayments, HATH, Nexbelt, PGA TOUR and Surf & Turf Golf.
Gentle Creek Country Club
Par: 36-36–72
Yardage: 7,276
DALLAS, Texas (November 3) — After two hard-fought days, the 10th Levy Cup Matches have concluded, and Team NTPGA has secured the victory in dominant fashion with a final score of 16 to 8 over Team STPGA. The Levy Cup is a Ryder Cup-style format tournament featuring teams represented by four Assistant PGA Professionals, four Senior PGA Professionals (any PGA classification, aged 50 and older) and four PGA Members (excluding A-8s and classifications not included in the Texas Joe Black Cup Matches) who qualified by earning points through their respective Section’s Major Championships. The Matches were created in 2017 to celebrate Paul Levy, PGA, who was completing his first year of a two-year term as President of The PGA of America. The 2026 Levy Cup Matches returned to where they first began, Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas. In the first edition of the Matches, Team STPGA was victorious 14-10, but Team NTPGA would not be denied this time. They took a commanding 5-1 lead after Monday morning’s opening Four-Ball Matches and looked to keep rolling heading into the afternoon Foursomes Matches. Team STPGA steadied themselves as the Foursomes Matches finished 3-3, giving Team NTPGA an 8 to 4 lead after day one. With a STPGA win in the 9th Levy Cup Matches, Team NTPGA needed 4.5 points in Singles Matches to win the cup. They came out firing, winning the first three matches and never looked back. Team NTPGA dominated the Singles Matches 8 to 4, leading to the largest margin of victory in the history of the Levy Cup Matches – 16 to 8. “It was awesome watching these guys display great golf from both sides, and you know, Team NTPGA just showed out and played just some amazing golf,” said NTPGA Captain Miguel Aguilar. The record-setting victory in the Levy Cup continues an impressive run for the Northern Texas PGA, following back-to-back record victories in the Texas Joe Black Cup Matches. The streak began in 2024 with a commanding 20–4 victory on home soil, followed by a record-setting 15.5–8.5 victory on the road last year. The 10th Levy Cup Matches were supported by Club Car, Harlestons, Mizzen and Main, and Ping.
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.
Friend and McCorkle Headed to Lajitas Golf Resort for Duel in the Desert