Northern Texas PGA Celebrates Award Winners, Elects Two At-Large Directors, Announces Two Honorary Members

Madison Koen • February 7, 2023

The Northern Texas PGA held their annual Awards Banquet, Professional Development Seminar and 55th Annual Business Meeting on Sunday, February 5 and Monday, February 6 at Northwood Club and Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco, respectively. 


On Sunday night, the Northern Texas PGA celebrated the 2022 NTPGA award winners which included Northern Texas PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the Section's highest award, won by Dean Larsson, PGA head professional at Royal Oaks Country Club. A tribute to Larsson for this honor can be found HERE.


Monday’s Professional Development Seminar featured keynote speaker Dave Ridley, a retired Senior Vice President at Southwest Airlines and then three, interactive breakout sessions led by Dawes Marlatt, PGA, Senior Director of Education; Kelly Gilley, PGA, Regional Director, Member and Section Operations; and Cameron Doan, PGA, Director of Golf at Preston Trail Golf Club.


During the afternoon’s 55th Annual Meeting, the Northern Texas PGA presented an honorary membership to Kathy Whitworth’s family and friends. On December 14, 2022, the Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors discussed and unanimously approved Kathy Whitworth, longtime North Texas resident and the winningest golfer in history, to become an honorary member of the Northern Texas PGA. Ms. Whitworth is the third ever honorary member of the Northern Texas PGA. Sadly, Ms. Whitworth passed away just ten days after the Board approved her honorary membership. Ms. Whitworth’s family and friends were in the audience today to honor and celebrate this special recognition. 


The Board of Directors officers also recognized Northern Texas PGA Executive Director / CEO Mark Harrison with an honorary Northern Texas PGA membership. With over 25 years of service to the Northern Texas PGA, its professionals and the North Texas community, the officers wanted to surprise Harrison today with this honor for his impact on the Section. Harrison’s legacy contribution will no doubt be the vision that inspired the PGA Frisco project. The Northern Texas PGA opened its new home in December 2022 featuring a state-of-the-art office space, a growth of the game pavilion and a 2-acre lighted synthetic turf golf park designed for junior golfers.


Finally, during the meeting, the Membership elected two new At-Large Directors to join the Board of Directors - Jon Drago, PGA executive director of the AT&T Byron Nelson, and Jeremy Langdale, PGA director of golf at Ranchland Hills Golf Club, won the election.


The 2023 Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors is as follows: 

  • President – Jake McCullough, PGA director of golf at Odessa Country Club
  • Vice President – Cameron Doan, PGA director of golf at Preston Trail Golf Club
  • Secretary – Ira Molayo, PGA director of golf at Cedar Crest Golf Course
  • Honorary President - Courtney Connell, PGA head professional at Mira Vista Country Club
  • East Texas Chapter President – Chris Hudson, PGA head professional at Willow Brook Country Club
  • West Texas Chapter President – Evan Dunkerson, PGA director of golf at Midland Country Club
  • Metro Chapter President – Eric Hunt, PGA head professional at Grapevine Golf Course
  • At-Large Director – Stephen Aumock, PGA director of instruction at Gleneagles Country Club
  • At-Large Director – Julie Roberts, PGA director of golf at Indian Creek Golf Course
  • At-Large Director – Jon Drago, PGA executive director of the AT&T Byron Nelson
  • At-Large Director –  Jeremy Langdale, PGA director of golf at Richland Hills Golf Club
  • District 12 Director – Derek Gutierrez, PGA general manager at Santa Ana Golf Club (Sun Country Section)
  • An At-Large Director to fill Eric Hunt’s recently vacated one year term will be approved by the Board in the coming weeks.


The current Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors can be found HERE.

Bruns And Walts Win 2026 KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship After Two Hole Playoff

By Erik Anderson • March 3, 2026
THE COLONY, Texas (March 2) – The team of Robert Bruns, PGA Head Professional at Trinity Forest Golf Club, along with partner Chase Walts, PGM Student at Methodist University who currently works as an assistant at Trinity Forest Golf Club won the 2026 KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship after a two hole playoff. The two carded a bogey-free, 12-under-par, final score after shooting 64 on Old American Golf Club and a 31 on the back nine of Tribute Golf Links. They bested the team of Spencer Dillard and Alastair Jones from Preston Trail Golf Club. The 27-hole, Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship was hosted at Golf Clubs at The Tribute for the sixth straight year. Teams played Old American Golf Club and the back nine of Tribute Golf Links. Bruns and Walts both had looks inside 10 feet on the second playoff hole, though it was Bruns who poured in the winning putt. “I knew he had it in the bag, so I think that made it much easier for me to just be free and let it go,” said Bruns. Walts recently became an assistant professional at Trinity Forest, and said, “Robert is such a huge mentor to me and my career already. I hope to learn from everything he knows and that goes for golf as well.” “It makes it much easier when you’re in the mix coming down the fairway and you have a great relationship with each other. At the end of the day you’re just having fun,” Bruns said after their victory. This is the first win for both Bruns and Walts in Section Major Championships. The pair earned $3,200 ($1,600 each) out of the record $32,000 total championship purse. The KBS TOUR Shafts Pro-Assistant Championship was presented by Callaway Golf, Club Car, Evolve Golf, Landmark Golf Course Products, Range Servant, THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, and Winston Collection. View the final results HERE . Old American Golf Club Par: 35-36–71 Yardage: 6,770 Tribute Golf Links (Back nine) Par: 36 Yardage: 3,368

Northern Texas PGA Celebrates Award Winners, Conducts 58th Annual Meeting, Elects 32nd President of Section

By Molly Rawlins • February 23, 2026
Dallas, TX – (February 23, 2026) The Northern Texas PGA held their President’s Dinner on Sunday, February 22, at Royal Oaks Country Club. The dinner celebrated the 2025 NTPGA award winners, which included Northern Texas PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the Section's highest award, won by Cameron Doan, PGA director of golf at Preston Trail Golf Club. This is the highest honor given annually to a Northern Texas PGA Member, and is awarded for qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the NTPGA as well as the game of golf. The complete list of award winners can be found HERE . Congratulations to all. On Monday, February 23, the NTPGA staff then conducted a Professional Development Seminar and the 58th Annual Business Meeting at Dallas Country Club. During the Professional Development Seminar, the PGA of America golf professionals learned new communication skills from Tim Novak, increased their rules knowledge with Jon Drago, PGA, and David Price, PGA, and learned leadership lessons from a group of golf's top PGA golf professionals, including Cary Cozby, PGA, Bill Eschenbrenner, PGA, Bob Ford, PGA, and our very own Cameron Doan, PGA, and Ronny Glanton, PGA. After lunch, the 58th Annual Meeting consisted of the recognition of many professionals including the playing award winners honoring Matt Lohmeyer, Todd McCorkle, Rob Shields and Kim Paez. The 2026 Eva Williams A.C.E. Scholarship recipient, Sean Kim was also recognized. The meeting included comments from the Northern Texas PGA Past Presidents, current officers as well as from Executive Director, Kelly Gilley, PGA and CEO Mark Harrison. New Officers to the Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors were elected by acclamation. They include Ira Molayo as President, Jeremy Langdale as Vice President and Eric Hunt as Secretary. Two At-Large Directors were also elected by acclamation, Trish Holt and Neil Lockie. All were sworn in alongside East Texas Chapter President Tim Lawson and West Texas Chapter President Adam Headley. The current Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors can be found HERE . Before the meeting adjourned, the newly elected President, Ira Molayo, the PGA General Manager at Cedar Crest Golf Course in Dallas, addressed the membership. He stated that it is an honor to serve as the 32nd President of the Northern Texas PGA, using the word ‘serve’ intentionally because this position, like every role in our profession, is not about title. It is about stewardship. He then gave four notes about his commitment in these next two years – to represent all Members, across facilities, across classifications, across backgrounds, to listen carefully, to communicate clearly, and to support the staff and volunteers who carry this Section forward every day. He finished his comments by saying, “I do not intend to reinvent what is already strong. I intend to build on it.” Thank you to all of the PGA of America Golf Professionals in our Section who attended these special and important events over the past few days. Our Board and our staff look forward to a successful 2026.

Good Good Golf Announces Multi-Year Title Sponsor Partnership with the Northern Texas PGA

By Erik Anderson • February 17, 2026
The brand will sponsor competitive junior events, serve as the official apparel provider to staff, and provide exclusive merchandise, prizes, and more at events as part of their effort to encourage and develop the next generation of golfers

Lohmeyer Earns Player of the Year Honors

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