Northern Texas PGA Foundation Announces The Randy Smith Tour

October 16, 2025

A new beginning for junior golf that is founded on mentorship, family, and fun

FRISCO, Texas (October 16) – The Northern Texas PGA Foundation, in partnership with Scottie and Meredith Scheffler, is proud to announce the creation of the Randy Smith Tour, a new, no-cost level of the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour established for children ages 6-12 to learn tournament golf.

 

The tour honors Randy Smith, PGA. Smith is a legendary PGA of America Golf Professional, mentor, and coach whose impact has shaped generations of players, including Scheffler, through his lifelong commitment to developing both great golfers and great people.

 

A Tour Built on Values

The Randy Smith Tour is not about competition at this entry level of our Junior Tour; it is about fun, family, and mentorship. Modeled after the values that defined the Scheffler family’s own journey in junior golf, the mission of this tour is to offer a joyful step into the game, where every child feels welcomed, supported, and celebrated. The Randy Smith Tour aims to deliver mentorship and shared experiences.

 

“This tour is about giving kids the same gift Randy gave me,” said Scottie Scheffler, three-time Ryder Cup team member, four-time major championship winner and former Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour member. “He taught me that golf is about more than just scores. It’s about character, respect, and the people who help you along the way. That’s the legacy that Meredith and I are excited to pass on. We are proud to help start the Randy Smith Tour.”

 

Tour Highlights

  • No charge to play
  • Ages 6-12, divided into age groups (6-9 and 10-12 for boys and girls)
  • Par-3 courses utilizing 6 or 9-hole formats
  • 4-player teams (play your own ball)
  • Trained high school golfers to guide each group teaching etiquette, safety, introductory rules and sportsmanship
  • Events emphasize fun, learning, and the basics of tournament golf
  • Parents are invited and encouraged to spectate, but they are not permitted to caddie
  • Non-competitive “stamp scoring” system celebrating effort and teamwork
  • End-of-round ice cream celebrations for every participant and their family

 

Starting in the late spring of 2026, the Randy Smith Tour will initially conduct 10-12 events across East Texas, North Texas, and West Texas, growing to 20-25 events annually starting in 2027. This will add to the nearly 500 Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour events the Foundation already runs each year for kids ages 6-19.

 

Through the generosity of the Scheffler family and others who believe in the tour’s mission, the Randy Smith Tour will remove financial barriers that at times prevent families from getting involved in the game. Events on the Randy Smith Tour will be free of charge, to ensure that every child, regardless of background, can experience the joy of golf in a positive and welcoming environment.

 

“This is about where it all began,” said Randy Smith, PGA Head Professional Emeritus at Royal Oaks Country Club. “Scottie and his family are proof that when kids are surrounded by support, great things can happen. I’m humbled and grateful that they want to pay that forward, and I am beyond excited about the countless kids that will be introduced to the game through this new addition to the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour.” 

 

“Randy’s fingerprints are all over our Foundation and have been for more than four decades. He’s been the connective tissue behind so many relationships and milestones that help define who we are today,” said Mark Harrison, CEO of the Northern Texas PGA. “In 1983, he started a yearly fundraiser that has raised more than $2.3M for our growth of the game initiatives. Randy then introduced us to Justin Leonard, our first Junior Tour spokesperson nearly 30 years ago, and to Fin Ewing III, whose partnership through Ewing Automotive has powered both the Ewing Charity Classic and our Junior Tour for 20 years. About a decade ago, Randy also connected us with Dr. Bill Blair, whose impact on our Foundation has been extraordinary. The Growth of the Game Pavilion on our campus is the Randy Smith & Dr. Bill Blair Who’s Next Pavilion. Along with Scottie and Meredith, Dr. Blair was instrumental in helping us endow this new level of our Junior Tour. When I think of Randy, I think of junior golf. It is only fitting that our new tour bears his name.”

 

About the Northern Texas PGA Foundation

The Northern Texas PGA Foundation’s mission is to positively impact lives and communities through golf. From junior golf and scholarships to internships, inclusion, and military programs, the Foundation serves more than 10,000 kids and veterans each year through its broad-based community outreach.

 

The Randy Smith Tour will be added to the Foundation’s Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour player pathway that includes:

  • The Prep Tour (9-hole individual events)
  • The Medalist Tour (18-hole individual events)
  • The All American Tour (36-hole individual events)

 

A Legacy That Lasts

The creation of the Randy Smith Tour establishes a lasting endowment that will ensure future generations of young players begin their golf journey with joy, mentorship, and purpose. It’s a tribute to Smith’s great legacy, and a reminder that golf’s greatest impact comes not from trophies, but from the lives it touches.



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.