Northern Texas PGA and Lajitas Golf Resort Expand Partnership to include NTPGA Women’s Section Championship

Steven Clements • February 25, 2025

Duel in the Desert to Continue Through 2027

FRISCO, Texas (February 24) - The Northern Texas PGA is excited to announce the enhancement of our existing partnership with Lajitas Golf Resort. The extended partnership includes sponsorship of the newly created Women’s Section Championship, the continuation of the Duel in the Desert and support of the NTPGA Foundation through the All American Tour.


Beginning in 2025, the Northern Texas PGA will host the Lajitas Golf Resorts Women’s Section Championship. It is set for August 12-13 at Royal Oaks Country Club.


“Our staff saw a special opportunity to enhance our partnership with Lajitas Golf Resort and the creation of the Lajitas Golf Resort NTPGA Women’s Section Championship,” said NTPGA CEO Mark Harrison. “It is great to have their support for this tournament. We are also excited to continue providing a truly unique experience to our PGA of America Golf Professionals with the Duel in the Desert. We sincerely appreciate the Lajitas team for their continued support of every segment of the membership of the Northern Texas PGA.”


The highly successful Duel in the Desert, the final match to determine the Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Match Play Champion, will continue through 2027 for both the Open and Senior Divisions. In 2024, Spencer Dillard, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, won the Open Division title and Rick Woodson, PGA instructor at Sherrill Park Golf Course, claimed the Senior Division title. Learn more about that event HERE.


“Expanding our partnership with the Northern Texas PGA was something we were excited to do,” said Scott Beasley, President of WSB Resorts, who manage Lajitas Golf Resort. “The success of the Duel in the Desert the last three years has been fantastic, and we wanted to make sure that Lajitas Golf Resort was able to impact every aspect of the Northern Texas PGA’s membership. New for this year we are creating a Pro-Am at Lajitas Golf Resort, specifically for ladies, so when Mark Harrison came to me and talked about the creation of the new NTPGA Women’s Section Championship, it made perfect sense for Lajitas Golf Resort to become the new title sponsor of this exciting event.” 


Additionally, Lajitas Golf Resort has expanded its partnership further to the Northern Texas PGA Foundation. Lajitas Golf Resort will be a title sponsor for an All American Tour tournament to be named at a later date.


About Lajitas Golf Resort

Tucked away in Texas’ historic Big Bend between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park lies Lajitas Resort, the perfect setting for your away-from-it-all adventure. Our 27,000-acre Texas resort is famous for its solitude, natural beauty and rugged desert environment. The resort’s unique destination is rich in Old West history. The resort features our world-class 18-hole golf course, Lajitas Texas Golf. “Black Jack’s Crossing”, designed by PGA Hall of Fame golfer, Lanny Wadkins. We also offer our 5 Stand Sporting Clay Shoot, Cowboy Action shoot, Equestrian Center for family horseback rides, and many other Lajitas Golf Resort activities designed to keep your family as busy as it wants to be.


Learn more: https://www.lajitasgolfresort.com/ 

Friend Wins Club Car | XXIO Northern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship

By Erik Anderson • August 25, 2026
Six qualify for Senior PGA Professional Championship

Paez Prevails at Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship

By Erik Anderson • August 25, 2026
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

McDonough Claims Northern Texas Assistant PGA Professional Championship

By Erik Anderson • August 17, 2026
Four Qualify for 50th Assistant PGA Professional Championship

Team of Murphy, Faulk Jr. Win Playoff to Capture 1st & 10th Tee Golf Energy Bar Pro-Junior Championship

By Erik Anderson • August 10, 2026
PLANO, Texas (August 10) – Seth Murphy, Associate at John Sikes Golf Academy and Thomas Faulk Jr. (a) captured the 1st & 10th Tee Golf Energy Bar Pro-Junior Championship title. The pair carded a 33-31–64, 8-under-par and made birdie on the first playoff hole. The pair began their round on the 8th hole and opened with a par. Six birdies on their next eight holes set them up for success for the first round. Their final nine holes were steady, with 7 pars and two birdies, but the bogey-free round was enough to get them into a two-team playoff against Ryan Grider, Associate at The Lakes at Castle Hills, and Colten Karstendiek (a). After a safe drive on the first playoff hole from Faulk Jr., Murphy was able to attack and had just 135 yards into the par-4 18th hole. He hit a pitching wedge to 10 feet and buried the putt. Murphy said, “He [Thomas] made about a 20-footer on our second hole, and that just put us on the pace we needed to get some momentum going. We gave ourselves lots of opportunities, double opportunities, where we were both putting for birdie, which is always nice. Just overall, we teamed very well today.” Faulk Jr added, “I started off hot and helped him out, and then when I was winding down, he got things going. We just made putts and pars when we needed to. It was just the team working.” Ryan Grider, Associate at The Lakes at Castle Hills, and Colten Karstendiek (a) fired 32-32–64 to finish in second place. Matt Weinberger, PGA senior director of member and amateur championships at PGA of America and Owen Layton (a) shot 31-35–66 to claim third place. The Championship featured 64 teams consisting of one PGA professional and one junior golfer between the ages of 7-19. The teams competed in a Four-Ball Stroke Play format. There was also a second division within the Championship where PGA professionals and their children competed for a separate title. The nine-team division was claimed for the third consecutive year by Jon Antunes, PGA director of instruction at Heart of Texas Golf Academy and his daughter Hannah Antunes (a) with a score of 34-34–68. For the professionals in the field today, there was a skins game with a $4,500 payout. Only one skin was earned today. Hanna Dickens, Associate at The Ronny Golf Park, made a birdie on hole 14 to earn the skin. The 1st & 10th Tee Golf Energy Bar Pro-Junior Championship was presented by CMC Design, PGA TOUR, and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson.