Kern Claims the Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship

NTPGA • August 22, 2017

LEWISVILLE, TEXAS – Ben Kern, PGA head professional at Diamondback Golf Club, captured the Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship besting Josh Havard, PGA director of instruction at Rolling Hills Country Club, on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.

Kern had a one shot lead heading into today’s final round, and after an eventful 17 holes where he carded five birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey, he eagled #18 for the second straight day to force the playoff. Havard played steady golf over the two-day event, carding only one bogey during the Championship rounds, but could not overcome Kern’s dominant play on #18 where the playoff was conducted. Kern made birdie to claim his first individual major championship and a check for $2,970.

“I like playing a right to left shot, and the hole is right to left with the wind going with me, so I am able to go after my driver. I had a midiron in, and I was able to hit it in close on day one. I was in the rough today on my final hole in regulation, but I hit a phenomenal shot that landed on the front of the green and chased back there to 10 feet and was lucky enough to make the putt,” Kern said about his play of #18 this week. “My mental game today was pretty good. This whole week my scorecard was pretty colorful. I had a lot of birdies, and I had a lot of bogeys, so I took it as it was and moved on to the next shot. My first two months of [PGA] membership have been a fun ride, low PGA honors at the State Open, and now this, and also a change in job…it’s been eventful, that’s for sure.”

Kern will lead seven other PGA professionals who qualified today from the Northern Texas Section to the 2018 PGA Professional Championship, presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz USA and OMEGA. The Championship will be contested June 17 - June 20, 2018 at Bayonet Black Horse in Seaside, California. Joining him will be Havard along with Jon Antunes, PGA director of instruction at Hot Golf, Inc., Michael Martin, PGA teaching professional at Leonard Golf Links, Corey Roberson, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, Gabe Reynolds, PGA director of instruction at Top Golf – Dallas, Ronny Glanton, PGA head professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course, and Brian Coe, PGA teaching professional at the Golf Center at the Highlands.

In addition, Greg Gregory, PGA assistant professional at Hidden Creek Golf Course, Stuart Deane, PGA director of golf at The University of Texas at Arlington, and Brian Norman, PGA teaching professional at Gleneagles Country Club, are exempt into the 2018 PGA Professional Championship based on their top 20 finish at the 2017 PGA Professional Championship earlier this year.

“I grew up on the West Coast, so I am looking forward to going out there and playing some golf. I am sure I will be beyond nervous, but I am beyond excited to go,” Kern also stated.

The top 20 players from the 2018 PGA Professional Championship will compete in the 100th PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, set for August 6-12, 2018.

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 presented by Adventures In Golf. It also served as a qualifier to earn points to make the 2017 Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship, Texas Joe Black Cup team and Levy Cup team.

The Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship was presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA and supported by TaylorMade adidas, Titleist & FootJoy, Golf Advisor and PGA TOUR. The Championship was conducted at The Lakes at Castle Hills, a 7,259-yard, par 72 layout located in Lewisville, Texas.

The Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship featured 102 Section PGA members who competed for a $24,500 overall purse.

The Lakes at Castle Hills
Lewisville, Texas

Par: 36-36--72
Yardage: 7,259

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Irving, Texas (August 25) – The Nelson Golf and Sports Club hosted two Northern Texas PGA Major Championships this week, the Club Car | XXIO Northern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship and the Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship. Clayton Friend claimed the Senior title, and Kim Paez claimed the Women’s title. Kim Paez, PGA Member at Ping Inc., claimed the Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship title, carding rounds of 70-72–142. Paez finished the Championship at 2-over-par, winning by four strokes. She began the final round one stroke back of Katie Flinn, director of instruction at Topgolf - Fort Worth, and her 2-over-par final round was enough to come from behind and secure the win. This is Paez’s first victory with the Northern Texas PGA since joining the section in 2025. “I stuck to my game plan this week, which was fairways and greens,” Paez said. “I think I missed only one or two fairways yesterday. I played pretty conservatively, but it paid off in the end.” Reflecting on her final round performance, Paez said, "It was a little bit windier today. It made me calculate a lot more on the tee shots.” It was an up-and-down round for Paez, but she hit her approach on hole 18 to two feet and tapped in for birdie. “The last three holes are pretty gettable, so I just had to remind myself that no matter how the round was going, I was going to have opportunities to close it out at the end.” Next week, September 3-5, Paez joins four other PGA female PGA Teaching, Coaching and Club Professionals from across the country to represent the United States in the fourth Women’s PGA Cup. They will take on Australia, Canada, Great Britain & Ireland, South Africa and Sweden in a 54-hole stroke play format at Carden Park Golf Resort in Chester, Cheshire, United Kingdom. “It is the biggest honor. When I first got my PGA Membership, and I found out about the PGA Cup, it became one of my biggest goals,” said Paez about making the team. “I was constantly checking the rankings, and coming into the KPMG [Women’s PGA Championship] and the LPGA Professionals Championship, I knew I had to lock in and give myself the best chance.” “I am so excited and so proud to represent the Northern Texas PGA as well, so hopefully I make everyone proud,” added Paez. This 36-hole Northern Texas PGA major championship is the fourth of five individual stroke play events that comprise the Woman Player of the Year points standings. The 22-player field competed for a purse of $7,500, and Kim Paez took home $1,050. The Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship was presented by A.PUTNAM and XXIO. The Nelson Golf and Sports Club Par: 35-35–70 Women’s Championship Yardage: 5,878 yards