Killeen Conquers the West Texas Wind to Claim the Joyce Crane | Veritex Bank Section Championship

Steven Clements • September 22, 2021

MIDLAND, Texas - JJ Killeen, PGA director of instruction at 4ORE! Golf, conquered the West Texas winds to claim the Joyce Crane | Veritex Bank Section Championship.

 

Killeen fired rounds of 67-74–141 to finish at 3-under-par and win by one shot. This season was his first playing with the Northern Texas PGA and this marks his first win with the Section.

 

Winds topped 30 mph today after a cold front rolled through West Texas overnight. Killeen said the two rounds “really couldn’t have been more different, the weather and my golf game in general.” 

 

“I grinded the whole back nine, made a bunch of good par saves and had a clutch chip in/pitch in,” said Killeen. 

 

Jeff Barton, PGA director of instruction at Preston Trail Golf Club finished in second place and 2-under-par. He also recorded a double eagle on the par-5 fourth hole.

 

The Senior Division was claimed by Mickey Piersall, PGA Life Member after rounds of 72-73–145 to finish at one-over-par. Piersall was down by two shots with two holes to play, but birdied the 17th and made par at the 18th to win.

 

Piersall has won four Senior Division Section individual major championships after today’s win. He also secured a spot into the 2021 Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon / Cleveland Golf Match Play Championship. This was the final chance to do so.

 

“I thought the golf course was in great shape, and it’s a great facility. I didn't have any expectations of winning, my goal was to qualify for the match play [championship],” said Piersall. “I had no idea that I won until I turned the scorecard in.”

 

The Joyce Crane | Veritex Bank Section Championship was the final individual stroke play major championship of the 2021 season. It was also the last chance  to earn points towards the Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon / Cleveland Golf / XXIO / ASICS Player of the Year Points Challenge presented by Adventures In Golf and Cyber Group. The winners for all 2021 Northern Texas PGA playing awards will be announced Wednesday, September 29, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. 

 

The championship also served as the final qualifier for the Texas Joe Black Cup Matches and Levy Cup Matches.

 

96 Northern Texas PGA Members competed for a Section Championship record overall purse of $100,000. Killeen took home $10,000 and Piersall took home $5,000 for their wins. 

 

In addition to the $10,000, Killeen also earned an exemption into the 2022 AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch. “Nothing is better than playing on the PGA TOUR for a golfer in the world. Period,” said Killeen.

 

The Joyce Crane | Veritex Bank Section Championship was presented by AT&T Byron Nelson, Ewing Automotive Group, GT Golf Supplies, Jim Beam Black, the PGA TOUR, and Surf & Turf Golf. 

 

Midland Country Club: 7,094-yard, par 72. 


View final results HERE

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THE COLONY, Texas (March 2) – The team of Robert Bruns, PGA Head Professional at Trinity Forest Golf Club, along with partner Chase Walts, PGM Student at Methodist University who currently works as an assistant at Trinity Forest Golf Club won the 2026 KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship after a two hole playoff. The two carded a bogey-free, 12-under-par, final score after shooting 64 on Old American Golf Club and a 31 on the back nine of Tribute Golf Links. They bested the team of Spencer Dillard and Alastair Jones from Preston Trail Golf Club. The 27-hole, Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship was hosted at Golf Clubs at The Tribute for the sixth straight year. Teams played Old American Golf Club and the back nine of Tribute Golf Links. Bruns and Walts both had looks inside 10 feet on the second playoff hole, though it was Bruns who poured in the winning putt. “I knew he had it in the bag, so I think that made it much easier for me to just be free and let it go,” said Bruns. Walts recently became an assistant professional at Trinity Forest, and said, “Robert is such a huge mentor to me and my career already. I hope to learn from everything he knows and that goes for golf as well.” “It makes it much easier when you’re in the mix coming down the fairway and you have a great relationship with each other. At the end of the day you’re just having fun,” Bruns said after their victory. This is the first win for both Bruns and Walts in Section Major Championships. The pair earned $3,200 ($1,600 each) out of the record $32,000 total championship purse. The KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship was presented by Callaway Golf, Club Car, Evolve Golf, Landmark Golf Course Products, Range Servant, THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, and Winston Collection. View the final results HERE . Old American Golf Club Par: 35-36–71 Yardage: 6,770 Tribute Golf Links (Back nine) Par: 36 Yardage: 3,368
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