Gregory Captures Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship

NTPGA • October 12, 2016

LUFKIN, Texas – The Championship match of the Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship featured the #29 seed Paul Norris, PGA golf coach at Texas Wesleyan University, and the #3 seed Greg Gregory, PGA assistant professional at Hidden Creek Golf Course. The match resulted in a 4 & 2 victory for Gregory.

Norris took an early lead at 1 UP through three holes, but a par by Gregory on hole #4 brought the match back to all square until hole #6 when Gregory went 1 UP. Norris quickly brought the match back to all square with a birdie on hole #7. The matched stayed all square until hole #10 when momentum started to shift Gregory’s way. A birdie on #10 and a par on #11 put Gregory 2 UP. Gregory made birdies on holes #13 and #15, and reached the par-5, hole #16, in two to close out the match. Norris conceded the hole with Gregory ten feet from the hole for birdie.

This marks Gregory’s first Match Play Championship victory and fifth NTPGA individual major championship. He also won the Prize Possessions Eastern Championship earlier this year. Gregory took home $5,250 of the $36,300 Open Division purse.

The Championship included a Senior Division that included eight of the top professionals from the 2016 OMEGA Senior Points Challenge competing for their own $9,150 purse. In the Championship match, #4 seed Stuart Hendley, PGA director of instruction at Green Tree Country Club, squared off against #6 seed Rick Woodson, PGA teaching professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course. Hendley started strong going 2 UP after two holes. This momentum allowed him to take control of the match, sitting at 6 UP after nine holes. He bested Woodson 7 & 5 and took home a trophy and a check for $2,750.

The Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship was contested October 10-12 at Crown Colony Country Club in Lufkin, Texas, a 6,711-yard, par 72 layout. The Championship was presented by AT&T Byron Nelson, Lorente Golf and PGA TOUR. The top 32 players on the final 2016 Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Player of the Year Points Challenge were invited to compete in the season-ending major championship.

Championship matches results.

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