Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour to PGA Professional: Spencer Dillard’s Journey to Success

Sarah Jordan • February 11, 2025


Spencer Dillard’s rise from a young golfer to a devoted PGA of America Golf Professional is a story of passion and purpose. His love for the game began when he was gifted a Tiger Wood’s golf video game as a kid. Spencer, who is now an Assistant Golf Professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, reflects on a journey shaped by the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour.


Spencer’s golfing journey began at the age of seven when his parents enrolled him in a small golf camp in McKinney, Texas. A year later, he discovered the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour and started competing in tournaments. These early experiences helped him develop both his skills and excitement for the game.


Spencer’s first experience on the junior tour was memorable. “I think I shot 72 for my very first [Prep Tour] event,” Dillard shares. “By the end of that year, I shot a 46. I was so happy to go from shooting a 72 for nine holes to [shooting] in the 40s.”

From 2008 until 2014, Spencer played on several levels of the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour, including the Prep and Medalist Tours. When asked about how the junior tour prepared him for play later in life, Spencer says that the competition pushed him to be better.


“Regardless of your skill level, there are always going to be people better than you or at least [at] equal [skill] level with you,” he explained. “It’s really easy to look in the mirror and judge yourself on your performance, and that [judgment] helped push me along in golf and in other areas of my life.”


While Spencer did not know entirely what he wanted to do with his future after junior golf, he knew that he was interested in becoming a club professional one day. On a road trip back home from a golf tournament, his mom told him about the PGA Golf Management Program at Sam Houston State University. When hearing about the program, Spencer was immediately interested and committed to pursuing a degree in Golf Management at Sam Houston. The program offered many different career paths in golf.

“I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into,” Dillard said. “I was just like yeah, I’ll go try it out.” 


And in 2015, he headed to Huntsville. During his time in Sam Houston State University’s PGA Golf Management Program, Spencer's perspective of the industry expanded. The program’s blend of networking opportunities and mentorship prepared him for life as a PGA Professional. He was able to explore many internships through the program which led to gaining more hands-on experience in the industry.

“I completed an internship in New York, which was a transformative experience for me,” Dillard explained. “I had a great PGA professional there, Rob Labritz. He kind of paved the way for me and showed me what it is to be a club professional.”


Spencer graduated from the Sam Houston State University PGA Golf Management program in 2019. He then earned his PGA Membership in February 2020, after completing an internship and securing a position at Preston Trail Golf Club. Today, as an assistant professional at Preston Trail, Dillard’s daily objective is to coach and develop the training staff, providing golf instruction, and representing the club at various events. Ultimately, Dillard and the Preston Trail team value their culture and strive to make the club a special place to grow the game.

Reflecting on his journey, Spencer attributes much of his success to the foundational experience of the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour and the mentors who guided him throughout his life.


“Golf [makes] it super easy to compare yourself because it’s just you— you don’t have a team that may win or lose you the game, it’s all on you,” Dillard noted. “It is really easy to look in the mirror and kind of judge yourself on your performance. I learned that all you can do is move forward while embracing the pressure.”

For young golfers considering their own journey, Dillard emphasizes the importance of enjoying the process and having fun while doing so.


“Have fun,” he advises. “It is easy to put too much pressure on yourself. There is a lot of pressure in golf, but the outcome is the outcome. It’s not the end of the world if you play a bad tournament. It's going to be okay.”


“You’re probably going to have a better outcome if you just go out and have fun, and not be too worried about where you finish in a certain event,” he encourages.


Today, Dillard is passionate about the game of golf and promoting opportunities in the sport. In 2024, he earned the Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Player of the Year Award for the Section. Dillard wants young players to know that their golf journey doesn’t end if they don’t pursue collegiate competition. 


“There are so many different avenues that are involved with golf,” Dillard says. “I think the perception is that if you do not play college golf, your golf career is over, and it is not like that.”


Dillard’s story is a story about the power of dedication to the game of golf and love for the sport. His journey from the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour to now is an inspiring example of how the game of golf can shape not only careers, but life ahead.

Korte Takes Early Two-Stroke Lead at 55th M&P Group Texas State Open

By Steven Clements • July 30, 2025
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PGA of America Golf Professional Blaine Seitz Earns PGA Master Professional Designation

July 28, 2025
FRISCO, Texas - PGA of America Golf Professional Blaine Seitz , Owner and Director of Instruction of TourShotGolf, and Master Club Fitter at 2nd Swing within the PGA of America Coaching Center powered by T-Mobile in Frisco, Texas, earned PGA Master Professional Status, the highest education designation available within the Association. Within the Association’s more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals, Seitz, a Member of the Northern Texas PGA Section, joins a highly regarded group as the 475th PGA Master Professional. He has earned this designation in Teaching and Coaching. "Becoming a PGA Master Professional is not just an achievement, but a realization of who I am and what I am meant to do,” said Seitz. “I’m a big believer that golf isn’t just a game, it’s also a form of therapy. We can use this game to help people get through life. I moved here to Texas to be with the PGA and put myself in a position to get this done. It’s been a big process to this point and it’s a true honor.” The PGA Master Professional 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 facilities. 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 & Coaching Designations. The 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. Seitz graduated from the PGA Professional Golf Management Program at Coastal Carolina University in 2012 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing. A PGA of America Golf Professional since 2013, Seitz worked as a PGA Assistant Golf Professional at The Suburban Club of Baltimore in Pikesville, Maryland. In 2015, he turned his focus to instruction and club fitting, becoming a PGA Teaching Professional at The Golf Club of Georgia, in Alpharetta, Georgia, and a Sales Representative at Arccos Golf. In 2018, TourShotGolf was born after Seitz spent six years as a CrossFit coach, developing mobility programs and working alongside CrossFit Games athletes to improve performance while decreasing risk of injury. By integrating these mobility programs with his golf students, Seitz observed significant improvements in their game. Seitz joined 2nd Swing in 2021 in Maryland before transferring to the Dallas location in 2023. He moved to the PGA of America Coaching Center in 2024 when 2nd Swing was named the official equipment trade-in partner of the Association. Over the last 10 years, Blaine has specialized in a holistic approach to golfers’ mobility, focusing on five pillars of peak performance: mindset, wellness, mobility, fitness and play. He is a TPI Fitness Coach, a certified Mobility Specialist, a Golf Fitness Association of America Top Golf Fitness Professional (2021-24) and on the Golf Digest “Top 100 Club Fitter” (2021-23) and “Best Clubfitters in America” (2023-24) lists. Seitz resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Team of Renner, Sellers Capture 1st & 10th Tee Golf Energy Bar Pro-Junior Championship

By Steven Clements • July 21, 2025
PROSPER, Texas (July 21) – Corbin Renner, PGA assistant professional at Shady Oaks Country Club, and Henry Sellers (a) captured the 1st & 10th Tee Golf Energy Bar Pro-Junior Championship title. The pair carded a 33-31–64, 8-under-par, to secure a two-stroke victory. The pair began their round on the 13th hole and with a birdie. Adding a birdie on the 16th and an eagle on the par-5, second hole, they were 4-under-par after eight holes. Six consecutive pars slowed the momentum down until a run of four straight birdies closed out the round and clinched the victory. Renner said, “I knew on the last two holes if we could finish strong, we would be right there in the running.” Sellers added, “I birdied two of the par threes coming in, so that was very important to get to 8-under. The greens were rolling really well. We were able to get some good reads and knock a few putts in. He added, “This is my first-ever team [Four-Ball] event. Corbin, being a conservative player, took a lot of stress off of me. He kept knocking in pars all day.” Three teams tied for second place with rounds of 6-under-par, 66. That tie was broken via a scorecard playoff to determine the second and third-place teams. Jon Antunes, PGA director of instruction at Heart of Texas Golf Academy, and daughter Hannah Antunes (a) were awarded second place after a 32 on the back nine. Blake Bergeron, Associate at Gentle Creek Country Club, and Austin Randall (a) placed third. The Championship featured 64 teams consisting of one PGA professional and one junior golfer between the ages of 7-19. The teams competed in a Four-Ball Stroke Play format. There was also a second division within the Championship where PGA professionals and their children competed for a separate title. The nine-team division was claimed for the second year in a row by the Antunes team. For the professionals in the field today, there was a skins game with a $4,500 payout. Two skins were earned today. Renner made a birdie on hole 12, and Alex Motes, Associate at Sulphur Springs Country Club, made an eagle on the par-5, 18th. Both professionals earned $2,250. The 1st & 10th Tee Golf Energy Bar Pro-Junior Championship was presented by CMC Design, PGA TOUR, and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Gentle Creek Country Club Par: 36-36–72 Yardage: 6,743 yards (professional yardage only) View Final Results HERE

Jeter Captures the Golf Pro Payments Western Championship After a Playoff

By Steven Clements • July 16, 2025
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