Larsson/Barton Capture WellVia Pro-Pro Championship

NTPGA • March 27, 2018

Shreveport, LA – The team of Dean Larsson, PGA head professional at Royal Oaks Country Club, and Jeff Barton, PGA director of instruction at Preston Trail Golf Club, captured the WellVia Pro-Pro Championship besting Brian Norman, PGA teaching professional at Gleneagles Country Club, and Clint Avara, PGA director of instruction at Watters Creek Golf Course, on the first hole of a sudden death playoff. Both teams carded a two round total of 13-under par. Larsson and Barton had a share of the lead heading into the final round, while Norman and Avara made a big move up the leaderboard shooting a final round 63 to force the playoff. However, Larsson and Barton made par on hole #18 during the playoff to claim the victory. They took home crystal trophies and $1,600 each for the victory.

Two teams finished tied for third place at 12-under par, 132.

For the second year, the Championship included a Senior Division that was comprised of 14 teams with participants aged 50 or older paired together. They were competing for a separate $6,075 purse and played at modified yardages. The team of Jim Henderson, PGA director of golf at Stevens Park Golf Course, and Joel Edwards, PGA Life Member, captured the Senior Division with a two-day total of 62-62—124, 20-under par. Each took home crystal trophies as well as $750 each for their win.

The four-ball stroke play Northern Texas PGA major championship featured a field of 62 two-man teams comprised of PGA professionals and associates who competed at Southern Trace Country Club, a par 72, 6,985-yard facility located in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Open Division competed for $21,450 of the $29,025 overall Championship purse.

The WellVia Pro-Pro Championship was presented by Adventures In Golf, AT&T Byron Nelson, Callaway Golf, Club Car, Columbia Golf, Eldorado Resort Casino Shreveport, Golf ScoreCards, Inc. and Lorente Golf.

Final results

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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