Five Frisco ISD Seniors Receive Fore Frisco Scholarships

Molly Rawlins • May 23, 2025

Students Honored at Breakfast Hosted by Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa

FRISCO, TX (May 23, 2025) – Today, staff from Omni Hotels & Resorts and the Northern Texas PGA (NTPGA) celebrated the five recipients of the inaugural Fore Frisco scholarships. Layla Baker, Sa’Niyha Coleman, Marie Hampton, Joel Lim and Jalen Randle each received a $20,000 college scholarship funded by Omni Hotels & Resorts, and a breakfast hosted at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa was held in their honor.


Fore Frisco is a new scholarship endeavor between Omni Hotels & Resorts and the NTPGA Foundation that began in the 2024-25 school year. The program aims to help need-based Frisco ISD students with consideration for their academic performance, extracurricular activities, community involvement and financial need. Fore Frisco currently involves two FISD high schools – Lone Star and Panther Creek – and introduces students to golf and the life lessons of discipline, honor and integrity that are central to the game.


“We’re honored to partner with the NTPGA Foundation in its meaningful work to give back to our local community through scholarship opportunities,” says Kurt Alexander, President of Omni Hotels & Resorts. “Golf has a remarkable way of bringing people together and making a difference, and there’s no greater purpose than helping young individuals pursue their aspirations and build meaningful futures.”


Forty-two students participated in a five-week program and learned the fundamentals of golf—driving, chipping, putting—taught by PGA Professionals at The Ronny Golf Park. In addition to learning golf skills, students gained insight into career opportunities in hospitality at Omni Hotels & Resorts as well as careers in golf. Upon completion of the program, eligible students could apply for a scholarship. 



“We were excited to get a scholarship program like this started with Frisco ISD this year. And, we could not have a better partner than the team with Omni Hotels & Resorts,” said Mark Harrison, CEO of the Northern Texas PGA. “We had great support from both flagship high schools, their staff and the Omni team. I also know that the five students who received the inaugural scholarships are going to head to college and impress us over these next few years. The future is bright not only for them but also this program.”

“With the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Golf House and our campus located in Frisco, we believe it is our responsibility to give back to the community we call home. From offering scholarships to high school students and employing FISD students at The Ronny Golf Park to providing internships that introduce former students to careers in golf, our commitment to local youth runs deep. We’re also proud to host multiple PGA HOPE programs in Frisco, supporting our military and veterans through the game we love,” said Harrison. 


In addition to the scholarship, each recipient will be paired with a mentor from the leadership team at Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa to help guide them throughout their college years.


The 2025 Fore Frisco scholarship recipients are:


Layla Baker 

Layla Baker is a 2025 graduate of Lone Star High School and will be attending The University of Texas at Austin. During her time at Lone Star, she was on the varsity volleyball team. She was in the National Honor Society, Black Student Union, Legacy Leader and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Layla also spent her time volunteering at Frisco Family Services and Angel’s Wish. At UT, she has plans to study Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.  She is looking forward to making new friends and gaining new experiences.


Sa’Niyha Coleman

Sa’Niyha is a 2025 graduate of Panther Creek High School, and she will be attending Texas State University. During her time at Panther Creek, Sa’Niyha was a part of the National Honor Society, Student Council, and Mock Trial Club. She also served as the manager of the football team and a member of the Panther Creek Cheer Team. While at Texas State, she will pursue a degree in Political Science with a focus on Pre-Law. She is looking forward to trying new things and getting involved in her college community, and preparing for her future in law.


Marie Hampton

Marie is a 2025 graduate of Panther Creek High School and will be attending Hampton University. During her time at Panther Creek, she was on Student Council as the Historian/Parliamentarian, National Honor Society, Siliverado’s Dance Team and is the founder and president of the Black Student Union at Panther Creek High School. She is also a part of the National Black MBA Association DFW Chapter Leaders of Tomorrow and Pearls of Service Foundation. At Hampton University, she plans to major in Psychology with a minor in Political Science. Marie is looking forward to meeting new people and helping make a difference in her community.


Joel Lim

Joel is a 2025 graduate of Panther Creek High School and will be attending the University of Texas at Dallas. During his time at Panther Creek, he played football and was involved with HOSA - Future Health Professionals, DECA, and BPA -Business Professionals of America. At UTD, he will be majoring in Biology with a concentration on Dentistry. Joel is looking forward to meeting new people, getting involved on campus, and getting to experience living on his own. 


Jalen Randle

Jalen is a 2025 graduate of Lone Star High School and will be attending Abilene Christian University. During his time at Lone Star, he was on the Lone Star varsity football team, Frisco Independent School District Mentoring Program, as well as Frisco Fire Department Explorer. He has received many awards, including the Ronald Reagan Leadership Award and the Lone Star Football Silver Award in 2024 as well. At ACU, he will be studying Business Management. He cannot wait to get involved and create a great new community in Abilene.




About the Northern Texas PGA Foundation

Founded in 1983, the nationally acclaimed Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, was rebranded in 2019 as the Northern Texas PGA Foundation. The Northern Texas PGA Foundation focuses on five pillars: junior golf, college scholarships, inclusion, internships and military & veterans. The mission of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation is to positively impact lives and communities through golf.

 

About Omni Hotels & Resorts
Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences at over 50 distinct hotels and resorts in the most popular leisure and business destinations across the United States, as well as in Canada. With 28 iconic golf courses, including multiple short courses, and 25 award-winning spas across the country, every Omni welcomes you to experience the true spirit of each destination. Reflected through local color, personalized service, unique wellness options, signature restaurants and creative culinary offerings, Omni leaves a lasting impression with every guest and a heightened level of recognition and rewards delivered through its Select Guest® loyalty program. Omni is committed to reducing hunger and is on a mission through its Say Goodnight to Hunger initiative to provide millions of meals each year for food banks to feed children, families, and seniors in communities in which it operates. Through its partnership with Shared Hope International, Omni is dedicated to the education and training of its associates to help combat human trafficking. Omni Hotels & Resorts is the official hotel of the PGA TOUR® and PGA of America. For information or to book accommodations, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.

By Molly Rawlins December 17, 2025
Paez, McCorkle, Shields also honored with Playing Awards
By Margaret Miller December 9, 2025
LAJITAS, Texas (December 9) – Brandon Bingaman, PGA assistant professional at Gleneagles Country Club, won the Duel in the Desert at Lajitas Golf Resort to claim the 2025 Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Match Play Championship Open Division title. Rob Shields, PGA member at The Winsford Group, claimed the Senior Division title. The No. 2-seeded Bingaman battled No. 12 Jon Antunes, PGA director of instruction at Heart of Texas Golf Academy, in a 36-hole final match for the title and $10,000. Both players began their run to the championship match back in October at White Bluff Resort, where they battled their way through the 32-player Match Play Championship bracket. “It’s incredible out here,” said Bingaman. “Jon is awesome; we couldn’t have had more fun. It’s hard, because on one hand you want to win and it's stressful, but on the other hand we were just two guys enjoying playing golf.” After playing 18 holes on Monday, their match stood at 2UP in favor of Bingaman. He continued his charge with birdies on holes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8, extending his lead to 7UP. Antunes quickly answered back with a long putt on the 9th hole to cut into Bingaman's lead. But, Bingaman drained a birdie putt on hole 13 to end the match. He claimed his first Match Play title 7&5. Bingaman made a putter switch in between the 36-hole match. “I brought two putters with me. I’ve been flipping back and forth recently between a L.A.B Putter and a Scottie Cameron, which did me well last week. Going into this weekend, I had a good feeling [about the latter], and good feelings turned into good playing.” This is the first year that Bingaman has made it to the final match. Antunes has won the title twice, previously in 2021 and 2022. “This was my first time qualifying for [Duel in the Desert], and I was super excited because I’ve heard nothing but great things about Lajitas Golf Resort,” said Bingaman. In the Senior Division, Rob Shields, PGA Member of the Winsford Group, started the day with a 1UP lead over Billy Harris. Harris birdied the 2nd hole to tie the match, and on the next hole, he went 1UP. Shields and Harris battled back and forth on holes 4, 5, 6 and 7 before Shields won holes 8, 9 and 10. His 3UP lead was enough to take the victory on hole 16, 3&2. “I think my putting was good. I hit the fairways today, which is good because if not, you’re playing in the trees, or desert; but, it was fun. I had a good time,” said Shields. He continued by praising his opponent and friend, Billy Harris, “I’ve known Billy for a long time. He’s a good guy.” Shields earned $5,000 for his victory today and his first match play title. This year was the fourth year that the Open Division championship match was conducted in Lajitas and the second year that the Senior Division joined them. “This place is a hidden gem. It’s a great golf course, lots and lots of fun. It was a joy being out here. The elevation changes are awesome,” said Shields about Lajitas Golf Resort. The Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Match Play Championship was presented by Adventures In Golf, Lajitas Golf Resort, PGA TOUR, THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, TPx Communications and XXIO.
Cameron Doan GY
By Molly Rawlins November 21, 2025
2025 NTPGA Award Winners
November 18, 2025
HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 18, 2025) – The historic 45th Joe Black Cup has concluded, and we proudly congratulate Team NTPGA on securing the victory at BraeBurn Country Club with a final score of 15.5–8.5 over Team STPGA. Team NTPGA established early momentum during Day One, delivering an impressive performance in the Four-Ball and Foursomes matches, where they earned 9.5 points to build a commanding lead. Their strong play continued into the Singles matches, where they successfully held off a determined rally from Team STPGA. Throughout Tuesday’s competition, spectators were treated to a dynamic and engaging battle, with the leaderboard frequently shifting between red and blue as both teams exchanged critical points to tie the session 6-6. This year’s event was elevated by a truly memorable “Evening of Honor,” during which we welcomed and celebrated 29 Past Captains. Their presence underscored the tradition, legacy, and camaraderie that define the Texas Joe Black Cup Matches. The evening served as a powerful reminder of the event’s rich history and the influential leaders who have helped shape its enduring significance. We extend heartfelt congratulations to Team NTPGA for their outstanding performance and to both teams for exemplifying sportsmanship, competitive spirit, and pride in their respective sections. The 45th Joe Black Cup will long be remembered as a fitting tribute to the heritage of golf in Texas, Mr. Joe Black, and the individuals who continue to elevate the game. After 45 years of competition, the Northern Texas PGA now holds a 22–21–2 lead over the Southern Texas PGA in the storied history of the Joe Black Cup Matches. The 46th playing will return to Midland Country Club on November 16–17, 2026, where Team STPGA will look to reclaim the cup and bring it back to Southern Texas. A special thank you to Club Car, Srixon, Cleveland Golf, Peter Millar, and Winston Collection for their outstanding partnership and support in creating a world-class atmosphere befitting this historic 45th edition of the Matches. To view the final results, click here .