15th Ewing Charity Classic Benefits NTPGA Foundation
Abigail Kasitz • December 1, 2020
PGA Professional Takes Home Car Thanks to Ewing Automotive Group
DALLAS, Texas –
The 15th Annual Ewing Charity Classic, a fundraising golf tournament conducted by the Northern Texas PGA for the benefit of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation, was held today at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas. This year’s event raised $241,000.
The Ewing Charity Classic, formerly the Westcott Pro-Am, is widely considered one of the most special and unique pro-am events in the country with $4.79 million raised during the past 25 years for the benefit of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation's broad-based community outreach programs. The money raised helps to further the Foundation’s mission to positively impact lives and communities through golf.
The Ewing Charity Classic featured 22 teams consisting of three amateurs, a PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour or LPGA Tour player and a PGA of America golf professional. Past and present tour players that participated in this year’s event included David Graham, Todd Hamilton, J.J. Henry, Kelly Kraft, Sebastian Munoz, Ryan Palmer, Gerina Piller, Scottie Scheffler, John Senden, and Jordan Spieth among others.
This year, the event consisted of two, 9-hole competitions. With a frost delay this morning, the field was split, and those who started on hole #1, played holes 1-9, and those who started on hole #10 played holes 10-18.
Professionals Dow Finsterwald, Jr. and Ryan Palmer teamed up with amateurs Mike Biggs, James Edmondson and Jeff Bookout to shoot 11-under par, 61, to claim the front-nine title, while professionals Henry Cagigal and Todd Hamilton paired with amateurs Cameron Decker, Ernest Horany and Chris Mellina carded a 5-under par, 67, to capture the back-nine competition.
Henry Cagigal, PGA assistant professional at Rockwood Park Golf Course, also took home a black 2021 Mercedes Benz C300 after hitting a 52-degree wedge, 80 yards, reaching 1 foot, 11 inches from the hole. Andrew Lewis, PGA director of instruction at Altus Performance, finished in second place hitting his ball 4 feet, 5 inches to take home $2,500.
“To do something like this, it’s a once in a lifetime deal,” said Cagigal. “I never expected to win. It’s been on my mind for several weeks now, and it’s something I knew was a possibility by getting to play in this event, but I never expected it. [This event] is an incredible gesture by the Ewing family, to do this for all of us PGA professionals and the community.”
The contest was Mr. Ewing’s idea as a way to not only help raise funds for the Northern Texas PGA Foundation but also to say a special thank you to the PGA professionals who participate in the event. In 2012 it was so well received that Mr. Ewing decided to keep the shootout going and has given away a car each year since.
Ewing Automotive Group, a dealership group consisting of Mercedes-Benz of Plano, Ewing Buick GMC and Ewing Subaru of Plano, located north of the George Bush Turnpike and South of Highway 121, in one of the fastest developing business corridors in the country. A special thank you goes out to Mr. Ewing and all he has done for the Northern Texas PGA, our local PGA Professionals, junior golfers in North Texas and the game of golf. In 2019, Mr. Ewing was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame for all he has done for the game of golf.
PLANO, Texas (November 3) – The Northern Texas PGA trails the Southern Texas PGA 7-5 after day one of the 9th Levy Cup Matches at Gleneagles Country Club - Queen’s Course. The Levy Cup is a Ryder Cup-style format featuring teams represented by four Assistant PGA Professionals and four Senior PGA Professionals (any classification, aged 50 and older) and four PGA Members Other who qualified through their respective Section 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. During his career Paul has been a member of both Sections. After last year’s Matches were shortened due to weather and Team NTPGA won 9-3, Team STPGA was motivated to have a strong showing this year. They took the lead in the morning Four-Ball Matches after winning the final four matches. In the afternoon Foursomes Team NTPGA won 3.5 points to cut into the STPGA lead. Team NTPGA will need to win seven points to keep their winning streak alive and win their fifth straight Matches. Singles Matches begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow The 9th Levy Cup Matches are supported by Club Car, Dunning and Ping. Gleneagles Country Club - Queen’s Course Par: 36-35–71 Yardage: 6,676 yards View Current Match Standings HERE
Frisco, TX (October 30) – The Northern Texas PGA honored its inaugural Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame members during a luncheon ceremony held today at the Home of the PGA of America in Frisco. Following the luncheon, attendees were welcomed to the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Golf House, where the names of the 2025 inductees were officially unveiled on the Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame display. The inaugural class of 2025 included PGA Members Joe Black, Ross Collins, Ronny Glanton, David Price and Randy Smith, as well as non-Members/Ambassadors Dr. Bill Blair, Fin Ewing III and Jerry J. Ransom. “This means a lot,” said Dr. Blair after the ceremony. “Particularly coming from the Northern Texas Section, an organization that I have a lot of respect and admiration for. The induction ceremony was a great event, and a wonderful event to be a part of.” The Byron Nelson Foundation | Northern Texas PGA Hall of Fame was created to honor those in our community who embody the simple but powerful belief that Byron Nelson himself lived by every day: “Be good to the game and give back.” Those we celebrated today are more than great golf professionals or leaders. They are people who have devoted themselves to lifting others, to growing the game, and to leaving a legacy that will be felt for generations. Each inductee has distinguished themselves in four meaningful ways: Leadership and service Achievements and awards Support of the NTPGA Foundation and its growth-of-the-game initiatives The lasting impact they have made on those around them “What a special day to be a part of,” said Jake McCullough, honorary NTPGA President and chair of the Hall of Fame selection committee. “It has been an honor to help launch the hall of fame this year, and these eight men are very deserving of the honor they have received. The members of the Class of 2025 are game-changers who embody Mr. Nelson’s words of ‘be good to the game and give back.’” To be considered, nominees must be at least 50 years old, have made their mark over at least a decade within the Section, and, if a PGA Professional, they must be a Member in good standing. New members will be welcomed every other year. Learn more about each of the inductees on our website www.ntpga.com/hall-of-fame .
Mike McCabe, the General Manager of The Golf Clubs at The Tribute in The Colony, Texas, has earned PGA Master Professional Status, the highest educational designation a PGA of America Member can obtain. The program was established in 1969 to recognize PGA of America Members who make a significant effort to improve as golf professionals and maintain the highest degree of excellence for themselves and their operations. The curriculum is designed to ensure golf professionals are prepared to meet the growing demands of the marketplace within the Executive Management, Golf Operations and Teaching and Coaching Designations. McCabe is the 477th to earn the recognition, joining a special group among the more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals within the Association. He achieved his designation in Executive Management. “I’m passionate about being a PGA of America Golf Professional, and to achieve the highest honor in our educational program is something I don’t take lightly,” said McCabe, a PGA of America Golf Professional since 2007. “It’s a tremendous honor to be among an elite group of PGA Master Professionals. Going forward I look to continue mentoring the next generation to be good stewards of this beautiful game and growing future professionals.” The PGA Master Professional Program is available to those with at least 10 years of PGA of America Membership along with having achieved advanced certification through the PGA Specialized and Certified Professional Programs. The curriculum includes an extensive project based on the specific certification previously acquired by the PGA of America Golf Professional. PGA Master Professional status is earned upon successful completion of the project’s presentation. McCabe, a native of Emporia, Kansas, graduated from The Golf Academy of America in December of 1996 and was the director of golf at Tour 18 Golf Course in Dallas. From 2003-11 he was the director of golf for Bridlewood Golf Club in Flower Mound where he was awarded the 2010 Northern Texas PGA Section Merchandiser of the Year award. In 2011 he became the general manager of The Old American Golf Club. In 2020, McCabe spearheaded the combination of Old American and the Tribute Golf Links into a semi-private, 36-hole club, now known as The Golf Clubs at The Tribute. Under his direction as general manager, the facility has become an award winning, nationally ranked member resort. McCabe was instrumental in bringing the LPGA Tour’s Volunteers of America Classic to the North Texas facility in 2018, which at the time was the only LPGA Tour event in Texas.
On behalf of each NTPGA Chapter Awards Committee, East Texas, Metro Texas and West Texas, we are pleased to announce the 2025 Northern Texas PGA Chapter Award Winners below. 2025 East Chapter Award Winners Golf Professional of the Year Doug Myer, Tyler Golf Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Emily Ming, Hide-A-Way Lake Golf Course Youth Player Development Award Tim Lawson, The Pinnacle Club Merchandiser of the Year - Private Chris Hudson, Willow Brook Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Public/Resort Bo Branyan, Van Zandt Country Club Professional Development Award Cory Ryan, Crown Colony Country Club Bill Strausbaugh Award Sean Hanson, Crossing Creeks Country Club Player Development Award Roy Pace, PGA Life Member Patriot Award Dick Goetz, PGA Life Member 2025 Metro Chapter Award Winners Golf Professional of the Year Trish Holt, Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Jarred Jeter, Shady Oaks Country Club Youth Player Development Award David Hirschfeld, Grapevine Golf Course Teacher & Coach of the Year Brian Norman, Lakewood Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Private Sarah Kim, Las Colinas Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Public/Resort Emily Loewer, Heritage Ranch Golf & Country Club Professional Development Award Neil Lockie, Dallas National Golf Club Bill Strausbaugh Award Chad Moscovic, The Ronny Golf Park Player Development Award Christian Maddox, Prestonwood Country Club Patriot Award Tommy Moore, The Clubs of Stonebridge Ranch 2025 West Chapter Award Winners Golf Professional of the Year Lee Rhind, Midland Country Club Assistant Golf Professional of the Year John Harney, Amarillo Country Club Youth Player Development Award Thomas Martin, Green Tree Country Club Teacher & Coach of the Year Lee Rhind, Midland Country Club Merchandiser of the Year - Private Brandon Veld, Red Feather Golf and Social Club Merchandiser of the Year - Public/Resort Tommy Darland, Andrews Country Golf Course Professional Development Award Adam Headley, Green Tree Country Club Bill Strausbaugh Award Brian Nagy, Abilene Country Club Player Development Award John Bizik, Hogan Park Golf Course Patriot Award Alan Coe, Tascosa Golf Club Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients. All applicants are still in consideration for a 2025 Northern Texas PGA Section Award. Section Award winners will be announced on November 21.