Meissner Captures Title at 50th Texas State Open

Taylor Coffelt • July 31, 2020
TYLER, Texas - Mitchell Meissner of San Antonio, Texas, captured the 50th Texas State Open by playing spectacular golf all week with rounds of 67, 65, 63 and a final round of 66. He finished the Championship one stroke ahead of the competition at 19-under par 261 for 72-holes. 

Meissner and Cory Churchman of Fort Worth, Texas battled it out today as they bounced back and forth taking the lead. It wasn’t until hole #17 that Meissner said he felt confident that he could clinch the win. He was able to birdie both #17 and #18 to secure the win by one stroke over Churchman, who also birdied #18.

“I knew there were going to be a lot of low scores and that no one else was going to let up at the top of the leaderboard,” Meissner said after the round. “I felt like I needed to keep giving myself opportunities and I was lucky to have one fewer stroke than everyone else. Winning this is pretty big. Just gaining confidence and learning that I can play under pressure and win when I’m presented the opportunity was awesome.”

Logan Lockwood (a) of Van, TX, earned the Low Amateur honors and finished tied for fifth place shooting 69-68-64-68—269, 11-under-par, for the Championship. Lockwood is a Texas State University graduate and will be competing in next week’s US Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon.


“It feels great just to be here this week and to have my friends and family here to watch. It was a great experience,” Lockwood said. “I got off to a rough start and it was a mental grind from there, but I was able to stay in it mentally and get the job done."

Ben Kern, PGA head professional at Georgetown Country Club, captured the Low PGA Professional honors for the third time. As 2018’s Texas State Open Champion, Ben is no stranger to Texas State Open honors and said The Cascades Club is “beginning to feel like home”.


“Coming back to the Texas State Open is always one of my top three events of the year,” Kern stated. “My biggest supporters, my wife and my daughter, were here with me again this year and that really helped out.”


The 72-hole stroke play event started with 156 players (124 professionals and 32 amateurs) competing and 57 players (51 professionals and six amateurs) survived the 36-hole cut. All four rounds were contested at The Cascades Club, a 6,882-yard, par 70 layout. For the Championship, hole #10 was played as a 490-yard par 4 rather than a par 5.


The purse for the 50th Texas State Open was $150,000, and Meissner took home $30,000.


The Championship was presented by Joyce Crane and Veritex Bank, and was supported by Ameriprise Financial Group, Cavender’s, Dobb’s & Porter, Energy Weldfab, Jucy's Hamburgers, Patterson Tyler, The Plato Group, and The Property Shoppe. Proceeds from the championship will benefit the Northern Texas PGA Foundation.


Please note: (a) denotes amateur, and amateurs will be awarded gift certificates.


Final Results here.

Lohmeyer Earns Player of the Year Honors

By Molly Rawlins • December 17, 2025
Paez, McCorkle, Shields also honored with Playing Awards

Bingaman, Shields Earn First Match Play Victories at the Duel in the Desert at Lajitas Golf Resort

By Margaret Miller • December 9, 2025
LAJITAS, Texas (December 9) – Brandon Bingaman, PGA assistant professional at Gleneagles Country Club, won the Duel in the Desert at Lajitas Golf Resort to claim the 2025 Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Match Play Championship Open Division title. Rob Shields, PGA member at The Winsford Group, claimed the Senior Division title. The No. 2-seeded Bingaman battled No. 12 Jon Antunes, PGA director of instruction at Heart of Texas Golf Academy, in a 36-hole final match for the title and $10,000. Both players began their run to the championship match back in October at White Bluff Resort, where they battled their way through the 32-player Match Play Championship bracket. “It’s incredible out here,” said Bingaman. “Jon is awesome; we couldn’t have had more fun. It’s hard, because on one hand you want to win and it's stressful, but on the other hand we were just two guys enjoying playing golf.” After playing 18 holes on Monday, their match stood at 2UP in favor of Bingaman. He continued his charge with birdies on holes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8, extending his lead to 7UP. Antunes quickly answered back with a long putt on the 9th hole to cut into Bingaman's lead. But, Bingaman drained a birdie putt on hole 13 to end the match. He claimed his first Match Play title 7&5. Bingaman made a putter switch in between the 36-hole match. “I brought two putters with me. I’ve been flipping back and forth recently between a L.A.B Putter and a Scottie Cameron, which did me well last week. Going into this weekend, I had a good feeling [about the latter], and good feelings turned into good playing.” This is the first year that Bingaman has made it to the final match. Antunes has won the title twice, previously in 2021 and 2022. “This was my first time qualifying for [Duel in the Desert], and I was super excited because I’ve heard nothing but great things about Lajitas Golf Resort,” said Bingaman. In the Senior Division, Rob Shields, PGA Member of the Winsford Group, started the day with a 1UP lead over Billy Harris. Harris birdied the 2nd hole to tie the match, and on the next hole, he went 1UP. Shields and Harris battled back and forth on holes 4, 5, 6 and 7 before Shields won holes 8, 9 and 10. His 3UP lead was enough to take the victory on hole 16, 3&2. “I think my putting was good. I hit the fairways today, which is good because if not, you’re playing in the trees, or desert; but, it was fun. I had a good time,” said Shields. He continued by praising his opponent and friend, Billy Harris, “I’ve known Billy for a long time. He’s a good guy.” Shields earned $5,000 for his victory today and his first match play title. This year was the fourth year that the Open Division championship match was conducted in Lajitas and the second year that the Senior Division joined them. “This place is a hidden gem. It’s a great golf course, lots and lots of fun. It was a joy being out here. The elevation changes are awesome,” said Shields about Lajitas Golf Resort. The Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Match Play Championship was presented by Adventures In Golf, Lajitas Golf Resort, PGA TOUR, THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, TPx Communications and XXIO.
Cameron Doan GY

Northern Texas PGA Announces 2025 Section Award Winners

By Molly Rawlins • November 21, 2025
2025 NTPGA Award Winners

Team NTPGA Victorious at Historic 45th Texas Joe Black Cup Matches

November 18, 2025
HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 18, 2025) – The historic 45th Joe Black Cup has concluded, and we proudly congratulate Team NTPGA on securing the victory at BraeBurn Country Club with a final score of 15.5–8.5 over Team STPGA. Team NTPGA established early momentum during Day One, delivering an impressive performance in the Four-Ball and Foursomes matches, where they earned 9.5 points to build a commanding lead. Their strong play continued into the Singles matches, where they successfully held off a determined rally from Team STPGA. Throughout Tuesday’s competition, spectators were treated to a dynamic and engaging battle, with the leaderboard frequently shifting between red and blue as both teams exchanged critical points to tie the session 6-6. This year’s event was elevated by a truly memorable “Evening of Honor,” during which we welcomed and celebrated 29 Past Captains. Their presence underscored the tradition, legacy, and camaraderie that define the Texas Joe Black Cup Matches. The evening served as a powerful reminder of the event’s rich history and the influential leaders who have helped shape its enduring significance. We extend heartfelt congratulations to Team NTPGA for their outstanding performance and to both teams for exemplifying sportsmanship, competitive spirit, and pride in their respective sections. The 45th Joe Black Cup will long be remembered as a fitting tribute to the heritage of golf in Texas, Mr. Joe Black, and the individuals who continue to elevate the game. After 45 years of competition, the Northern Texas PGA now holds a 22–21–2 lead over the Southern Texas PGA in the storied history of the Joe Black Cup Matches. The 46th playing will return to Midland Country Club on November 16–17, 2026, where Team STPGA will look to reclaim the cup and bring it back to Southern Texas. A special thank you to Club Car, Srixon, Cleveland Golf, Peter Millar, and Winston Collection for their outstanding partnership and support in creating a world-class atmosphere befitting this historic 45th edition of the Matches. To view the final results, click here .