Napier Claims the 54th M&P Group Texas State Open After a Playoff

Steven Clements • August 2, 2024

Tanner Napier of Paris, TX won the 54th M&P Group Texas State Open at Cascades Country Club on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against Kyle Pritchard. Napier fired rounds of 62-63-66-68 to finish the Championship at 21-under-par.

Napier started the day with a two stroke lead over Frederick Wedel of the Woodlands and a five stroke lead over 2019 Champion Kyle Pritchard from Castroville. Napier made all pars until a birdie on the par-3, 9th hole.

As he made the turn to the back nine, Pritchard began to go on a run in the group in front of him, just like he did the day prior. Pritchard birdied holes 11 through 16 and drained a 35-foot putt for eagle on the 18th to get to 21-under-par. His round of 63 was the lowest round of the day for the second day in a row. He also shot the lowest back nine score of the week today with an 8-under par, 27.

Napier three putted the 17th hole for bogey and could not convert on the par-5, 18th for birdie to win in regulation. He and Pritchard would go back to the 18th tee for a sudden-death playoff. Napier found the fairway with a tee shot of 310 yards. He followed his drive with a 3-wood from 245 yards to the right side of the green and had about 50 feet for eagle. After his first putt he had a 3-footer remaining for the win after Pritchard left his 12 foot birdie putt on the lip.

“I had the thought of how many of these have I hit in my life. Thousands. So that’s how I treated it,” said Napier about his thoughts before hitting the three-foot putt. He went on to make the putt for a birdie and capture the 54th M&P Group Texas State Open title.

“I was lucky enough to get it done! You look at the names of past champions and it’s really cool to see those guys. It’s awesome to have my name there.”

Napier earned $40,000 for his victory and a lifetime past champion exemption into the Texas State Open.

The Championship features two additional divisions, Low PGA of America Golf Professional and Low Amateur.

For the first time, Spencer Dillard, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club in Dallas, TX, claimed the PGA Professional Division at 14-under-par after rounds of 66, 65, 66, 69.

“My goal coming into the week was to have four rounds under par and luckily I was able to do that this week,” said Dillard.

Speaking about representing the PGA Members Dillard said, “It was nice to have a top ten and show my talents against these guys. A lot of people don’t know that we’re good players.”

For his T8 finish Dillard will head back to Dallas with over $5,450 and an exemption into next year’s Championship.

Jack Burke (a) of Orange, TX, a rising senior at Texas State University secured Low Amatuer honors after a 12-under-par finish. He carded rounds of 65-69-66-68 and finished six strokes ahead of the next closest amateur.

Speaking about the week, and his first time playing the event, Burke (a) said, “It was fun…The greens out here are so perfect. “This week it was a gold mine to come out here and shoot four rounds under par.”

Burke (a) earned an invite back for next year’s Championship as well as $1,000 gift certificate for the golf shop at Cascades Country Club. Next year, he plans to turn professional and will be playing for the overall purse.

The 54th M&P Group Texas State Open was a 72-hole stroke play event and consisted of 156 professionals and amateurs. The starting field was made up of exempt players as well as successful qualifiers. The 61 players who made the cut competed for the Championship purse of $201,000.

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

Cascades Country Club

Par: 35-35–70

Yardage: 6,882 yards

View Round Final Results HERE

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Dillard Wins $25,000 at Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Shootout at The Oaks in Back-to-Back Years

By Erik Anderson • September 29, 2026

GREENVILLE, Texas (September 28) – For the second year in a row, Spencer Dillard, PGA director of golf at Golf Clubs at The Tribute, claimed the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Shootout at The Oaks, taking home $25,000 for the win. Just like last year, it took Dillard two playoff holes to best runner-up Nick Paez, instructor at The Ronny Golf Park. Both players found the 440-yard, par 4, 9th green in two, but a costly three-putt from Paez from 35 feet led to Dillard finishing off a nervy three-foot putt for the win. Dillard also won with a par in last year’s event and has now taken home the victory in two out of three years in the event’s short history. “It’s pretty special, just the opportunity to play in the event. I just can’t thank Dr. Ransom enough for putting this on and all he does for us,” said Dillard. “Just being able to play is a huge deal and then lasting through the shootout is so tough, so it feels great to be here.” The players in the shootout were battling in what seemed to be a competition of who could continue to make birdies. “Nathan was 9-under through a 12-hole stretch today and still went out. There is so much talent in our Section, so you got to go win it,” said Dillard. Longtime Northern Texas PGA Foundation supporter Jerry J. Ransom welcomed 98 Northern Texas PGA Members and Associates to The Oaks Country Club for the third annual Shootout. The event was created to recognize the PGA Professionals across the Section who dedicate their time and energy to growing the game through the NTPGA Foundation’s initiatives. The event was developed by Ransom as a way to thank PGA Professionals across the Northern Texas Section while also providing exposure to The Oaks Country Club. The Oaks is a top-five nine-hole course in Texas according to the Dallas Morning News golf course rankings. The format for the event featured a 9-hole qualifier, with the top three finishers and one randomly selected participant moving on to the evening shootout. Nathan Park, instructor at Stonebriar Country Club, qualified first after finishing with an impressive 6-under-par, 30. Dillard was the next to advance, carding a 4-under-par, 32, and finally Paez at 3-under-par, 33, who won a six-for-one spot playoff with a birdie on the first extra hole in the playoff. Zack Vinson, PGA head professional at Athens Country Club, was the random drawing winner. The nine-hole Shootout portion of the event was played in three stages of three holes each, with one professional eliminated after every stage. After the first three holes, Vinson was eliminated and landed a prize of $2,500. The scores were then reset to even par, and the second three holes saw Nathan Park bow out, despite being 9-under-par through 15 holes. He played his final three holes in the shootout at even par. Still, he earned $7,500 for his efforts. The scores again reset to even par for the final three-hole segment, where Dillard and Paez battled it out for three holes, followed by two extra holes in the playoff.

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