Cuzen Captures Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship
DALLAS, TEXAS –
Ben Cuzen, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, captured the Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship after besting Stuart Deane, PGA golf coach at The University of Texas at Arlington, and Brian Norman, PGA teaching professional at Gleneagles Country Club, in a four-hole, sudden death playoff. Cuzen, Deane and Norman all carded a 1-over 143 for two rounds to force the three-way playoff. The three competitors headed to hole 18 to settle the Championship. Cuzen and Deane notched birdies on the first playoff hole, while Norman made par. Cuzen and Deane then played hole 18 three more times before Cuzen came out on top with a par to secure the win and his first section individual major championship. He took home a $4,100 check for his victory.
"I made it a little harder on myself than I expected, but I was strangely calm all day. Thanks to Cameron and all the guys at [Preston Trail] for all the things we work on all year long, so it's good to see it finally pay off and get the first one," said Cuzen after the playoff. "It has been one of my goals for the past couple of years to make it to the [PGA Professional Championship] and then hopefully into the PGA. This will be my first time there, so that was a huge motivation and I am really excited about it."
Cuzen will lead six other PGA professionals who qualified today from the Northern Texas Section to the 2017 PGA Professional Championship, presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz USA and OMEGA. The Championship will be contested June 25 - June 28, 2017 at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon. Joining him will be Deane and Norman as well as Greg Gregory, PGA assistant professional at Hidden Creek Golf Course, Sam Randolph, PGA director of instruction at Mira Vista Country Club, Patrick Buhrmann, PGA director of instruction at Performance Golf, and Brett Beaty, PGA assistant professional at Dallas National Golf Club.
In addition, Brad Ott, PGA director of instruction at TPC Craig Ranch, will also be in the 2017 PGA Professional Championship field. He is exempt based on his top 20 finish at the 2016 PGA Professional Championship earlier this year.
The top 20 players from the 2017 PGA Professional Championship will compete in the 99th PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina set for August 7-13, 2017.
This 36-hole NTPGA Section major championship was the third of the four individual stroke play championships that comprise the Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Player of the Year Points Challenge. It also served as a qualifier to earn points to make the 2016 Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship and Texas Joe Black Cup team.
The Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship was presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA and supported by Titleist/FootJoy, TaylorMade Golf Companies, Nike Golf and PGA TOUR. The Championship was conducted at Royal Oaks Country Club a 7,022-yard, par 71 layout located in Dallas, Texas.
The Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship featured 112 Section PGA members who competed for the $29,500 overall purse.
Royal Oaks Country Club
Dallas, Texas
Par: 35-36--71
Yardage: 7,022
Final Results.
