Norman Claims Joyce Crane Section Championship, Nabs Exemption Into 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson
Longview, TX –
Brian Norman, PGA teaching professional at Gleneagles Country Club, fired rounds of 70-67—137, a score of 3-under par, to claim the Joyce Crane Section Championship. He sat 3-back of the leaders to begin Round Two and made moves up the leaderboard to capture his second Northern Texas PGA Section Championship. Norman also won this event back in 2015.
"It feels great to win,” Norman said after being awarded the trophy. “You know I’ve had some close calls through the years [in these events]. I think I’m better at coming from behind, I guess! I got off to a good start. I was 4-under through five and just kind of plotted away. Low and behold, I posted a good number and it worked out.”
Norman took home a check for $4,000 for his victory, but even more important is the exemption he earned into the 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson.
“Playing in the AT&T Byron Nelson is going to be a lot of fun,” said Norman. “I was fortunate to play at Trinity Forest in the Veritex Bank Texas State Open this year, and it’s a tough golf course with a really neat layout. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever played, so I’m looking forward to it. In 2016, I played in the Nelson, and I played pretty well so hopefully I can take that on and try to do a little better this time.”
The Championship also included a Senior Division that was comprised of 23 professionals aged 50 and older who elected to compete for a separate $9,850 purse and played from a modified yardage. Stuart Hendley, PGA director of instruction at Grapevine Golf Course, captured his second Senior Division title of the season with rounds of 69-70—139 to finish the Championship at 1-under par. He took home a check for $1,350.
The Joyce Crane Section Championship, presented by AT&T Byron Nelson, Cutter & Buck, Ewing Automotive Group, PGA TOUR, PRG Americas and Sterling Cut Glass, was conducted at Pinecrest Country Club, a 6,513-yard, par 70 course located in Longview, Texas. The Open Division field consisted of 67 PGA professionals from the Northern Texas Section of the PGA of America competing for a $28,650 purse.
The Championship was the fourth and final individual stroke play championship of the 2017 season to earn points towards the Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Player of the Year Points Challenge presented by Adventures In Golf. The Eastern, Western, NTPGA Professional and Section Championships all served as qualifiers for the year-end Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship. The top 32 from the points list and the top eight from the Senior points challenge list will be invited to play in the Championship. With the win Norman is also the 2017 Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Player of the Year. The Player of the Year Points Challenge also serves as a qualifier for the 2017 NTPGA Texas Joe Black Cup and Levy Cup teams.
Final results.
