CBS Sports presents - Golf's Best Stories End in Thanks

NTPGA • May 5, 2016

Condeleeza Rice, Charlie Rose, Lucas Black, Keegan Bradley, Billy Horschel, Cheyenne Woods Explain the Impact of PGA Professionals; One-Hour Special Debuts Saturday, May 7

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Recognized as the leaders in the game of golf, PGA Professionals also build lifetime relationships with their students.

CBS Sports—in celebration of the PGA of America’s Centennial and its #ThxPGAPro campaign—presents “Golf’s Best Stories End in Thanks,” an hour-long special, narrated by Bill Macatee, which introduces viewers to PGA Professionals nationwide and the profound impact they have made in their students’ lives.

The program will air on Saturday, May 7, from 2–3 p.m. ET on CBS, prior to third-round coverage of the Wells Fargo Championship.

Notable “Thanks PGA Pro” messages include: Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; 2011 Champion Keegan Bradley; 2014 FedEx Cup Champion Billy Horschel; LPGA Tour player Cheyenne Woods; “CBS This Morning”
co-anchor Charlie Rose, with PGA Head Professional Jeff Gschwind, of Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, New York; and “NCIS: New Orleans” actor Lucas Black, with PGA Director of Instruction Rick Grayson, at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Missouri.

Among the PGA Professional-student profiles:
• Andy Mitchell, PGA Director of Golf & Rooms Operations at Marriott Grande Vista in Orlando, Florida, site of multiple programming for military veterans with disabilities through PGA HOPE and On Course Foundation. Sgt. John McAfee, one of Mitchell’s students, is a Purple Heart recipient who was awarded two Commendation and Achievement Medals during his tenure in the U.S. Army.

• Aurora Kirchner-McClain, PGA Director of Instruction at Kingwood (Texas) Country Club and her touching connection with 9-year-old PGA Junior League golfer Jhett Skaggs, who is awaiting his second heart transplant.

• Cameron Doan, a PGA Head Professional in Dallas, has a student roster that includes PGA Champion Rich Beem. Yet, Doan draws much of his inspiration from his daughter, Charlsie, 14, who was born without a right hand. In addition to helping his daughter learn the game, Doan taught her the long-lasting and charitable impact golf can have off the course.

• Gerry Hammond, PGA, Owner of the Hammond Golf Academy in Columbus, Ohio, boasts an impressive “Wall of Fame,” which lists 70 names of student-athletes he instructed who have earned college golf scholarships. One of Gerry’s students is fellow PGA Professional Wyatt Worthington II, a graduate of Methodist’s PGA Golf Management University program, who now instructs at the Academy, alongside his mentor, and will compete at the 49th PGA Professional Championship.

• PGA/LPGA Professionals Donna White and Judy Alvarez have spearheaded a successful PGA HOPE program in South Florida, and have seen first-hand the difference golf is making in the lives of veterans. Judy is a national trainer for PGA HOPE, and three-time LPGA Tour winner White is the PGA Head Professional at Okeeheelee Golf Course in West Palm Beach. One veteran, Mary Anderson-Kokell, suffered from severe flashbacks for the past 30 years, but overcame them the day she started playing golf. Anderson-Kokell praises Alvarez and White for giving her a new beginning in her life.

• Tom Mason met a healthy Jalen Castle at Par Tee Golf Center, in West Columbia, South Carolina, where Mason is the Head Professional and owner. Castle was later diagnosed with scoliosis and underwent a noninvasive spinal surgery at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Between Mason’s guidance and PGA Junior League Golf, Castle is back on the course. Castle met her hero, LPGA major champion Stacy Lewis, who overcame her own similar spinal condition as a teenager.
Golfers everywhere are invited to upload videos, photos and messages to tell their story in support of their favorite PGA Professional at ThxPGAPro.com or on their social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) using #thxpgapro.


About the PGA of America
Celebrating its Centennial, the PGA of America represents the very best in golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGAofAmerica on Twitter and find us on Facebook.

Contact:
Jamie Carbone, PGA of America, 561-624-8446, jcarbone@pgahq.com

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.

A Full Circle Summer

By Erik Anderson • October 21, 2026
NTPGA Junior Tour Alumni Sweep the 2026 NTPGA Section Individual Majors

Walts, Reynolds Earn Finalist Spots for Duel in the Desert Finale

By Erik Anderson • October 7, 2026
Friend and McCorkle Headed to Lajitas Golf Resort for Duel in the Desert

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.