NTPGA's Top 10 Moments from 2018

NTPGA • January 2, 2019

The Northern Texas PGA had a wonderful 2018, and our Section staff is looking forward to seeing what 2019 has in store for us! However, now that the holidays are over, we wanted to take a look back in chronological order at our favorite moments from 2018.

#1. Ronny Glanton Elected as NTPGA’s 28th President

The Northern Texas PGA held their 50th Annual Meeting on Monday, February 19 at The Westin Galleria Dallas. During the meeting, the membership elected new section leadership, including the 28th Northern Texas PGA President Ronny Glanton. Glanton was also the 22nd President of the NTPGA. Read more.

#2. Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation Awards Record $307,500 in Scholarships

The Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation is dedicated to continuing its charitable commitment to educational services. In 2018, 43 students earned scholarships totaling $305,000, the most ever given in a single year by the Foundation. Of the scholarships awarded, 69% were based on financial need, academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement, while 31% were awarded based on academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement. Also included in this number were five Fairway To Success scholarship recipients who were awarded $20,000 to continue their education. With these students, the Fairway To Success program reached $1 million given to DISD students in 11 years! Read more. *Please note that after this article was published in June, we were able to give out an additional $2,500 bringing the total to $307,500 for 2018.

#3. NTPGA Foundation Has Record-Breaking Summer Camp Attendance

The NTPGA Summer Golf Camp Program provides children ages 6-12 with an opportunity to be introduced to the game of golf. In the summer of 2018, 891 kids across 18 different locations spent five days learning the fundamentals of golf including full swing, putting, chipping, rules and safety. Along with the instruction from PGA Professionals, each camper received a new set of clubs, a hat, water bottle, golf balls, tees and free access to select golf courses. The future of Northern Texas is bright as more and more kids are introduced to golf through this great program! Learn more.

#4. PGA Member Wins Texas State Open for the First Time Since 1987

Ben Kern of Georgetown, Texas, and PGA head professional at Georgetown Country Club, captured the 48th Tanos Exploration II / Patterson-UTI Drilling Texas State Open by playing solid, and at times spectacular golf, with rounds of 70, 64, 62 and a final round of 70. He finished the Championship two strokes ahead of the competition at 14-under par 266 for 72-holes. Following the Texas State Open, Kern went on to claim Low PGA Professional honors at the 100th PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, MO. Read more.

#5. NTPGA Junior Golf Three-Peat at Ben Hogan Junior Cup Matches

Shady Oaks Country Club, the Northern Texas PGA and the Southern Texas PGA hosted the 3rd Annual Ben Hogan Junior Cup Matches at Shady Oaks Country Club on Tuesday, August 7 – Wednesday, August 8. The Northern Texas PGA retained the Ben Hogan Junior Cup, finishing the event 13 – 11 over the Southern Texas PGA for a three-peat. With the victory, the Northern Texas PGA team now has a 3-0-0 record in the Matches. Read more.

#6. Former NTPGA Junior Tour Member Wins First Major

In September of 2018, Angela Stanford, a Fort Worth native and NTPGA Junior Tour Member from 1990 to 1994, captured her first major championship at the Evian Championship in Évian-les-Bains, France. The Championships website notes, "After a rollercoaster final sprint, the American Angela Stanford wins the Evian Championship 2018. The 40-year-old American had not won on tour since 2012. She is the first stars and stripes player on the shores of Lake Geneva since Natalie Gulbis in 2007." Read more.

#7. Cameron Doan Receives PGA of America Award

In August 2018, The PGA of America announced that Cameron Doan, PGA head professional at Preston Trail Golf Club in Dallas, was awarded the Bill Strausbaugh Award. This award is presented to those PGA Members who by their day-to-day efforts have made significant contributions through mentoring of PGA Professionals. The award also considers the integrity and character of the PGA Member, their service to the Association, involvement in community and charitable activities. Read more.

#8. Ewing Charity Classic Event Sets New Record

The 13th Annual Ewing Charity Classic, a fundraising golf tournament conducted by the Northern Texas PGA for the benefit of the Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation, took place at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas on Monday, November 26, 2018. The event raised a record high of $230,000. The Ewing Charity Classic, formerly the Westcott Pro-Am, is widely considered one of the most special and unique events in the country with $4.29 million raised during the past 23 years for the benefit of the Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation's broad-based community outreach programs. Read more.

#9. PGA of America and NTPGA Headquarters Moving to Frisco

At the end of November 2018 at a special called meeting by the Frisco City Council, the Council approved a new development that includes the PGA of America relocating its headquarters to the City of Frisco. In addition to the headquarters campus, the development will also include an Omni resort, 45-holes of golf, 18-holes of which will be designed by Gil Hanse. The facility will be called PGA Frisco. What is very exciting for the Northern Texas PGA is that PGA Frisco will also become the home of the Northern Texas PGA! Read more.

#10. NTPGA Reaches 10,000 Through its 2018 Events and Programs

More important than any of these moments is the fact that we feel that we were able to truly serve the members and grow the game of golf this year. We estimate that we impacted the lives of 10,000 of people in the northern Texas community through golf, and that is for what we are always striving to do!

As you can see, 2018 set the bar high for 2019! But, as we reflect on these great memories, we know that this New Year will bring many more record-breaking and memorable moments. Best wishes for a prosperous 2019! Now, #getgolfing

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.

Jerry J. Ransom Pro-Junior-Am Benefits the Northern Texas PGA Foundation

By Logan Bearden • August 3, 2026
$268,000 Donated to Foundation

Watkins Goes Wire-to-Wire, Defends Title at the 56th M&P Group Texas State Open

By Erik Anderson • July 31, 2026
Doggett (a) and McIlwain (a) Share Low Amateur Honors Walts Finishes as Top PGA Professional

Watkins Maintains Lead, Field Closes Gap Heading into the Final Round of 56th M&P Group Texas State Open

By Erik Anderson • July 30, 2026
TYLER, Texas (July 30) – Matthew Watkins of Rockwall, TX, carded a third-round 35-35–70, even par, and maintains the 54-hole lead at the 56th M&P Group Texas State Open. After a 36-hole score of 61-61–122, Watkins sits at 18-under-par for the championship. “I just kind of hung in there on the front nine, shot even. Then, kind of had it going just a little bit on 10 through 12. It was just an up-and-down day overall,” said Watkins. Watkins held a 6-stroke lead heading into the third round, but the field has cut it to just four. “Definitely going to be a little different than going into today. Probably a lack of concentration problem today, but still hung in there well.” Last year, Watkins held the 54-hole lead and said he was battling some nerves. “I’m definitely more comfortable, but still have to have a good round tomorrow if I want to win. Four [shots] can happen in three holes,” Watkins added. Watkins will look to defend his title beginning at 9:50 tomorrow morning. There is a three-way tie for second at 14-under-par between Cameron Sisk of Scottsdale, AZ, Cooper Schultz of Wichita, KS, and John Sand of Irving, TX. Cameron Sisk is a former Arizona State University standout. He finished his career there as a three-time All-American, two top-ten finishes at the NCAA individual Championships and 14th in the PGA TOUR University rankings. Sisk found himself behind the pack early this week, but with a second round of 64 and a 32-33–65 in today’s third round, Sisk has climbed back into contention. On the 12 par 5s Sisk has played this week, he is 12-under-par and credited his play on those holes as the reason he is tied for second heading into tomorrow’s final round. “You really got to take care of the par 5s out here. There are a few tougher par 3s and par 4s out here, so as long as you birdie the gettable holes, you’ll be in good shape,” said Sisk. After his 63 yesterday, Cooper Schultz shot a bogey-free 33-33–66 to cut his eight-shot deficit in half today. Of the three players tied for second, Schultz will be the first one out tomorrow as he tees off right before the final group. “It’ll be nice, I won’t feel like I have to press or anything. I’m just going to try and take what the course gives me. If I end up shooting 9-under, then great, if I shoot 2-under, that’s fine too, but I’ll just stay within myself and play the game I know I can play,” said Schultz. John Sand fired a bogey-free, 32-32–64, good for the joint low round of the day. He finished strong with birdies on holes 14, 15 and 16. The week has been steady so far for Sand, with rounds of 66, 66, 64, he sits just four back of Watkins. Sand and Sisk will join Watkins at 9:50 a.m. tomorrow, while Schultz precedes them in the 9:40 a.m. grouping. Bret Gray, PGA Member, is in solo fifth after a round of 34-30–64 and is the Low PGA Professional in the championship. Gray graduated from Sam Houston State University’s golf management program last December. He holds a one-stroke lead over Chase Walts, PGA assistant professional at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, TX in the PGA Member Division. Gray said, “I’ve done a lot of preparation and practice for moments like this, so I’m excited to tee it up tomorrow.” Gray and Walts both tee off at 9:40 a.m. Blake Elliott of Bullard, TX, continues to climb the leaderboard after a third-round 31-34–65, 5-under-par that propelled him 18 spots up the championship leaderboard. His round moved him to 10-under-par and he currently sits tied for eleventh place. Elliott has been battling an injury this week, but continues to fight through it. “It is what it is at this point. My speed’s down right now and kind of flinching at it a couple of times here and there, but it is what it is.” Grant Doggett (a) of Beach City, TX, leads the Amateur Division at 6-under-par. His third round 33-36–69, 1-under-par has him tied for 32nd overall. Doggett (a) is the defending Low Amateur after finishing at 11-under-par and 12th place overall last year. Doggett (a) is a senior at the University of Houston and grew up playing golf on the Southern Texas PGA Junior Tour. He holds a one-stroke lead over the next closest amateur, Kaelen Dulany (a) of Keller, TX. The 56th M&P Group Texas State Open is a 72-hole stroke play event with a field of 156 professionals and amateurs. The 36-hole cut was made to the low 55 players and ties. 66 players (59 professionals and 7 amateurs) made the cut at 2-under-par and are competing for a $203,850 Championship purse. The champion, if a professional, will take home $40,000. The only amateur to win the Texas State Open was Homero Blancas in 1960. The final round starts at 8:00 a.m., and players will begin on the first and tenth holes and play in threesomes. This is the M&P Group’s fourth year as the title sponsor, and the Championship is presented by Joyce Crane and Higginbotham and supported by CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances, Holiday Inn - Tyler Conference Center and Patterson Tyler. The championship is being played at Cascades Country Club for a record 15th time. Cascades Country Club Par: 35-35–70 Yardage: 6,882 yards