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

Steven Clements • July 30, 2025

Romo Cards 1-under-par in Opening Round

TYLER, Texas (July 29) – Chris Korte, of Littleton, CO leads the 55th M&P Group Texas State Open after an opening round 62. His 8-under-par, 32-30–62, was enough to gain a two-stroke lead heading into tomorrow’s second round.


Korte got off to a steady start on the front-nine with three birdies and six pars. Turning to the more scorable back-nine, he went 4-under on holes 10-14 and added two more birdies on 17 and 18.


“It was a fun day. I got off to a good start, made a couple nice little par saves here and there,” said Korte about his opening round. “This rough is no joke, when you hit it in there, a lot of times it's tough to get one up and down or judge the distance on your second shot. I played a really solid round.” 


“I’ve been playing great golf recently. Monday qualified into a couple Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR events and have just been trying to find the putter. Luckily today I felt like I gained a couple shots finally, so that was probably the biggest difference.” 


Korte received the final sponsor exemption into the Championship and has taken advantage of it so far. During the past year, he has successfully Monday qualified into four PGA TOUR events and one Korn Ferry Tour event, most recently teeing it up in the Barracuda Championship.


Korte played in the morning wave today and will play in the afternoon wave tomorrow. He tees off at 1:15 p.m. 


Matthew Watkins, of Rockwall, TX is one of two players tied for second behind Korte. The former Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour member, carded a 6-under-par round and is looking for his first victory at the Championship. He previously earned Low Amateur honors in 2021 and 2023.


Speaking about returning to Cascades Country Club Watkins said, “You have to hit it great off the tee, which I love. It’s a good tight golf course, lots of trouble off the tee. There are a lot of irons out here, you have to be a good ball striker off the tee and into the green. The greens are great.”


Brandon Bingaman, PGA assistant professional at Gleneagles Country Club, leads the PGA Professional Division. He carded a 32-34–66, 4-under-par. Gilbert Mendez, PGA assistant professional at Sun City Golf Club, is one-stroke behind Bingaman at 3-under-par.


Blake Elliott, of Bullard, TX is at 4-under-par and sits highest on the leaderboard of the five East Texas locals in the field. This is Elliott’s sixth appearance in the Championship and he has made the cut each time, including two top-five finishes.


“It’s awesome sleeping in my own bed, getting up and doing what I usually do every day. It's nice being home and having some friends and family come out,” said Elliott about playing at home in East Texas.


The amateur leaderboard is led by Cody Massa (a), of Cave Creek, AZ. He recorded a first round 66, 4-under-par. 


At 1-under-par is former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS analyst Tony Romo (a). He is looking to make his first cut at the Championship and will begin his second round at 8:24 a.m. tomorrow.


“I’ve worked really hard this last year, hours and hours a day trying to work on my weaknesses and I think that helps quite a bit. A couple weeks ago I really started to find it. I got up and down [during today’s round], that kinda starts getting you into a rhythm,” said Romo.


Kacy Clemens (a), the former University of Texas baseball standout and son of former MLB pitcher Roger Clemens, is in the field this year. 


“It's cool playing around pros and watching those guys hit the ball. They are really good. It's just fun to play and compete in a different realm. You’d be surprised that standing over 5-footers gets your heart going,” said Clemens about his Texas State Open debut.


Round one had calm conditions with nearly no wind. Tomorrow’s second round is expected to have high temperatures over 100 degrees and an east wind around 10mph.


The 55th M&P Group Texas State Open is a 72-hole stroke play event with a field of 156 professionals and amateurs.


This is the M&P Group’s third year as the title sponsor and the Championship is presented by Joyce Crane and supported by CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances, Holiday Inn - Tyler Conference Center, Jucys and Patterson Tyler.


Cascades Country Club

Par: 35-35–70

Yardage: 6,882 yards


View current results HERE

Reynolds and Roberson Secure the 2026 GT Golf Supply Pro-Pro Championship

By Erik Anderson • March 31, 2026
Golding and Walden win Senior Division

Norman and Massa (a) go Back-to-Back at the Srixon / Cleveland Golf Pro-Scratch Championship

By Erik Anderson • March 25, 2026
Brown and Gibralter (a) claim Senior Division

Bruns And Walts Win 2026 KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship After Two Hole Playoff

By Erik Anderson • March 3, 2026
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

Northern Texas PGA Celebrates Award Winners, Conducts 58th Annual Meeting, Elects 32nd President of Section

By Molly Rawlins • February 23, 2026
Dallas, TX – (February 23, 2026) The Northern Texas PGA held their President’s Dinner on Sunday, February 22, at Royal Oaks Country Club. The dinner celebrated the 2025 NTPGA award winners, which included Northern Texas PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the Section's highest award, won by Cameron Doan, PGA director of golf at Preston Trail Golf Club. This is the highest honor given annually to a Northern Texas PGA Member, and is awarded for qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the NTPGA as well as the game of golf. The complete list of award winners can be found HERE . Congratulations to all. On Monday, February 23, the NTPGA staff then conducted a Professional Development Seminar and the 58th Annual Business Meeting at Dallas Country Club. During the Professional Development Seminar, the PGA of America golf professionals learned new communication skills from Tim Novak, increased their rules knowledge with Jon Drago, PGA, and David Price, PGA, and learned leadership lessons from a group of golf's top PGA golf professionals, including Cary Cozby, PGA, Bill Eschenbrenner, PGA, Bob Ford, PGA, and our very own Cameron Doan, PGA, and Ronny Glanton, PGA. After lunch, the 58th Annual Meeting consisted of the recognition of many professionals including the playing award winners honoring Matt Lohmeyer, Todd McCorkle, Rob Shields and Kim Paez. The 2026 Eva Williams A.C.E. Scholarship recipient, Sean Kim was also recognized. The meeting included comments from the Northern Texas PGA Past Presidents, current officers as well as from Executive Director, Kelly Gilley, PGA and CEO Mark Harrison. New Officers to the Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors were elected by acclamation. They include Ira Molayo as President, Jeremy Langdale as Vice President and Eric Hunt as Secretary. Two At-Large Directors were also elected by acclamation, Trish Holt and Neil Lockie. All were sworn in alongside East Texas Chapter President Tim Lawson and West Texas Chapter President Adam Headley. The current Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors can be found HERE . Before the meeting adjourned, the newly elected President, Ira Molayo, the PGA General Manager at Cedar Crest Golf Course in Dallas, addressed the membership. He stated that it is an honor to serve as the 32nd President of the Northern Texas PGA, using the word ‘serve’ intentionally because this position, like every role in our profession, is not about title. It is about stewardship. He then gave four notes about his commitment in these next two years – to represent all Members, across facilities, across classifications, across backgrounds, to listen carefully, to communicate clearly, and to support the staff and volunteers who carry this Section forward every day. He finished his comments by saying, “I do not intend to reinvent what is already strong. I intend to build on it.” Thank you to all of the PGA of America Golf Professionals in our Section who attended these special and important events over the past few days. Our Board and our staff look forward to a successful 2026.