Northern Texas PGA Team Leads After Day One of the Texas Joe Black Cup Matches
Lajitas, Texas –
The Northern Texas PGA leads the Southern Texas PGA 9.5 to 2.5 after day one of the 36th Texas Joe Black Cup Matches.
The NTPGA started off strong by capturing 5 points in the morning Four-Ball Matches. Britt Patton, PGA director of golf at Dallas National Golf Club, and Daniel Coughlan, PGA head professional at Abilene Country Club, had the most decisive victory of the morning besting Ricky Arnett, PGA head professional at Great Hills Country Club, and Doug DeSive, PGA head professional at Corpus Christi Country Club, 3 & 1.
Dean Larsson, PGA head professional at Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas, and Adam Headley, PGA head professional at Hillcrest Country Club, earned a great half point after splitting their match with Casey Russell, PGA head professional at The Club at Colony Creek, and Jason Alexander, PGA Head Professional at The Club at Carlton Woods. Larsson and Headley were able to battle back after trailing most of the match. Larsson made eagle on #16 and birdie on #17 and brought the match back to All Square heading into #18. Both teams made birdie, given each team a half a point. The other half point came when Tony Martinez, PGA director of golf at Keeton Park Golf Course, and Chance Blythe, PGA general manager at The Old Brickyard Golf Course, took a back and forth match to #18 against Eric Bogar, PGA head professional at Sugar Creek Country Club, and Joe Mitchell, PGA head professional at Victoria Country Club.
In the afternoon Foursome Matches, it appeared that the Southern Texas team was going to mount a comeback, taking the lead early in several of the matches, but the NTPGA battled back and notched an additional 4.5 points to take a commanding lead into tomorrow’s Singles Matches.
The Northern Texas team had seven wins and five halves as nine of the 12 matches came down to #18. This was the first time in the history of the matches that either team was undefeated on day one of the Matches.
“In the 36 years of the Matches I do not ever recall so many matches coming to the final hole in both sessions, including all six matches this afternoon,” said Mr. Joe Black.
The teams from each Section are represented by their Section President, the top playing PGA Directors of Golf, PGA Head Professionals and PGA General Managers, a Senior Representative, and a Captain’s Pick. Paul Earnest, PGA director of golf at Four Seasons Resort and Club, is captain of the Northern Texas PGA team, and Randy Jones, PGA director of instruction at The Golf Club of Texas, is serving as the Southern Texas PGA captain.
The Texas Joe Black Cup Matches is an annual competition between the Northern Texas PGA and the Southern Texas PGA Sections. The Southern Texas PGA currently leads the matches with an 18-16-1 overall record. The Ryder Cup-style format features 12 golf professionals from each Section competing in Four-Ball and Foursome Matches the first day followed by Singles Matches the final day. The event was started in 1981 to honor Joe Black, a Snyder, Texas native who was completing his first year as President of The PGA of America.
One point is awarded to a winning match and a half point is awarded to any match that is tied after eighteen holes. The Northern Texas PGA needs 12.5 points to capture the cup while the Southern Texas PGA needs 12 points to retain the cup. Singles matches will begin at 9:30 a.m. off of the first tee on Wednesday morning. The Matches are being contested at Black Jack’s Crossing Golf Course at Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa, a 7,296-yards, par 72 layout in Lajitas, Texas.
Day One Results.
