Pearce Captures Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank Section Championship

Taylor Coffelt • September 10, 2019

AMARILLO, TX – On the first hole of a sudden death playoff against Nic Ishee, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, Shane Pearce, PGA head professional at Hurricane Creek Country Club, captured the Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank Section Championship when he made a 3-foot birdie putt on the par 5, 18th hole. Pearce held a two-stroke lead heading into today’s final round, but got off to a shaky start carding four consecutive bogeys on holes 3-6. He then managed one birdie on #16, and that was enough to force a playoff with Ishee who carded a 2-under for the day and tournament. Pearce finished with round totals of 66-74–140 to claim his first Northern Texas PGA individual major championship.

"It was tough not seeing the course before. I didn’t get to play here in 2015. I wasn’t a Class A Member yet. I got here on Sunday and came out to hit a few balls and drive the course, but I didn’t actually play a practice round. It’s kind of weird, my dad and I joked after the first round that I tend to play courses better when I don’t have a practice round,” Pearce stated after clinching the win. “This is a super special [win], it’s definitely something I’ve always wanted, but I never thought I’d get here. I’m just following in the footsteps of everyone that’s won this before, all the people I’ve always looked up to. That’s more special to me than the actual win, just following along in their footsteps.”

Pearce took home a check for $4,800 for his victory, but even more important is the exemption that he earned into the 2020 AT&T Byron Nelson.

“I’m excited but also horrified,” Pearce said about the exemption. “Back in 2012 when I went to Q-School I probably would have had some different emotions about that, probably would have felt more prepared, but I’m looking forward to it. It’s always been a dream to play on the PGA TOUR.”

The Section Championship also included a Senior Division that was comprised of 23 professionals aged 50 and older who elected to compete for a separate $14,200 purse and played from a modified yardage. Stuart Hendley, PGA director of instruction at Dallas Athletic Club, completed a three-peat as the Section Championship Senior Division champion. He finished the tournament at 3-under-par with rounds of 70-69—139 to capture his third consecutive Section Championship Senior Division win. He took home a check for $2,250.

“It’s fun winning. Our Section is big, so winning is nice, and this locks up the Points [Challenge Standings] for me which is always the goal,” Hendley said after today’s win. “When I lived in West Texas I played this course quite a bit, and I really like it. It’s one of my favorite courses in West Texas. You really have to control your ball, though, so I focused on getting the ball in the fairway to control where I was going on the green. I also putted really well, which is great because these greens are really difficult.”

The Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank Section Championship, presented by AT&T Byron Nelson, Ewing Automotive Group, GT Golf Supplies, PGA TOUR, Sterling Cut Glass, and Technogym, was conducted at Amarillo Country Club, a 6,937-yard, par 71 course located in Amarillo, Texas. The overall purse for the event was a record $52,500. The Open Division field consisted of 62 PGA professionals from the Northern Texas Section of the PGA of America who competed for an Open Division purse of $38,300.

The Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank Section Championship was the fourth and final individual stroke play major championship of the 2019 season to earn points towards the Yamaha Golf-Car Company & Srixon / Cleveland Golf / XXIO Player of the Year Points Challenge presented by Adventures In Golf & Green Garden Gold. The Eastern Championship, Western Championship, NTPGA Professional Championship and Section Championship all served as qualifiers for the year-end Yamaha Golf-Car Company & Srixon / Cleveland Golf / XXIO Match Play Championship. The Player of the Year Points Challenge also served as qualifying for the 2019 NTPGA Texas Joe Black Cup and Levy Cup teams.

Final Results.

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By Margaret Miller June 4, 2025
The Northern Texas PGA (NTPGA) Foundation is pleased to continue its charitable commitment to higher education by announcing our 2025 scholarship recipients. Eighty-one high school seniors who will be attending college this fall have earned scholarships totaling $763,000 – breaking last year’s record by $26,500. This year, the NTPGA Foundation celebrates our newest recipients and the fact that since our scholarship program began, we have now awarded over $6 million in scholarships! The 2025 scholarship amounts vary from $2,500 to $20,000. In addition, two students were awarded a “last-dollar” full scholarship to two of the Foundation’s partner schools, the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD) and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Since 1983, the Northern Texas PGA Foundation has awarded over $6 million in college scholarships to 922 deserving students. “Surpassing $6 million in scholarships awarded this year is an incredible milestone for our Foundation,” said Mark Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Texas PGA. “More importantly, it represents meaningful opportunities for 81 remarkable students who are continuing their journey in higher education. This level of impact is only possible because of the generous individuals and partners who believe in our mission and share our commitment to supporting the next generation. To our partners, donors and all those that participate in fundraising events that benefit our Foundation, thank you. And to this year’s scholarship recipients, congratulations. Your future is full of promise, and we’re honored to be a part of your path forward.” This year, of the scholarships awarded, 67% were based on financial need, academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement, while 33% were awarded based on academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement. Listed below are the names of the 2025 scholarship recipients: 2024 SA Smith Scholarship In Memory of Jerry D. Smith – Dylan Ford – Sonora Secondary School 2024 SA Smith Scholarship In Memory of Jerry D. Smith – Ella Upchurch – Monahans High School Allison & Jerry Freeman Scholarship – Emily Briscoe – Covenant Christian Academy Colleyville ANNIKA Foundation NTPGA Scholarship – Landry Addison – Lake Highlands High School April &Mark Anthony Scholarship – Brady Mann – Bridgeport High School Ben Hogan Foundation Scholarship/Robert Stennett Scholarship – Dorothy Chen – Allen High School Ben Hogan Foundation Scholarship/Robert Stennett Scholarship – Michael Xiao – Colleyville Heritage High School Ben Hogan Foundation Scholarship/Robert Stennett Scholarship – William Zhang – Highland Park High School Ben Hogan Foundation Scholarship/Robert Stennett Scholarship – Coleman Bales – Prestonwood Christian Academy North Birdies for Kids Scholarship – Avery Zweig – Enlightium Academy Birdies for Kids Scholarship – Taylor Phan – Wakeland High School Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Natalie Aranda – Thomas Jefferson High School Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Clarissa Gamez – Thomas Jefferson High School Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Maryah Smith – Booker T. Washington HSPVA Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Karina Herrera – W. W. Samuell High School Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Natalie Guerrero – W.W. Samuell High School Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Crystal Soto – W.W. Samuell High School Destination Grapevine Texas Women’s Open Scholarship – Chloe Sirkin – Grapevine High School Doug & Lisa Hickok Scholarship – Preston Bradford – Highland Park High School Dr. Bill Blair Scholarship – Alyse Gerardot – Liberty High School Ewing Automotive Scholarship – Grace Kalina – Wakeland High School Ewing Automotive Scholarship – Daniel Ferguson – Homeschool Fore Frisco – Layla Baker – Lone Star High School Fore Frisco – Jalen Randle – Lone Star High School Fore Frisco – Sa’Niyah Coleman – Panther Creek High School Fore Frisco – Marie Hampton – Panther Creek High School Fore Frisco – Joel Lim – Panther Creek High School Frank & Evelyn Borgsmiller Scholarship – Marianee Moran Argueta – Thomas Jefferson High School Fritz & Mary Lee Duda Family Foundation Scholarship – Kenneth Fambro – Carroll High School Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Nicholas Norris – Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Connor Chisum – Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Sean Meador – Trinity Christian Academy Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Emily York – Lovejoy High School Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Noah Hankinson – Independence High School Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Jackson Licker – Lovejoy High School I Am a Golfer Foundation Scholarship – Akela Larzeia – David W. Carter High School Jerry Andrews Scholarship – Lucas Latimer – Rockwall Heath High School Jerry J. Ransom Pro-Junior-Am Scholarship – To be announced June 23 Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Reese Rayburn – Walnut Grove High School Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Hayley Kiesling – Flower Mound High School Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Jack Gibson – Emerson High School Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Ella Murphree – Lubbock-Cooper High School Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Priscilla Gant – Cornerstone Christian Academy Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Lucy Kate Smith – Liberty University Online Academy Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Corbin Murray – Mansfield High School Joe Black/Texas Golf Hall of Fame Scholarship – Ava Murcer – Lake Highlands High School Joe Bob Joyce Family Foundation Scholarship – Jaxson Green – Troup High School Jon & Kim Morgan Scholarship – Aditya Dawane – Rick Reedy High School Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Jorge Marquez – Thomas Jefferson High School Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Alejandro Benitez – Thomas Jefferson High School Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Kiara Miles – Lincoln High School Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Stephanie Soria – W.W. Samuell High School Levy Cup Scholarship – Holden Harris – Argyle High School Links on PGA Parkway Scholarship – Adrienne Ahn-Upton – Laurel Springs High School Links on PGA Parkway Scholarship – Daniel Smith – Coppell High School Links on PGA Parkway Scholarship – Patrick Babb – Mansfield High School M&P Group Texas State Open Scholarship – Cameron Phillips – Grace Community School Mac Spikes PGA Member Scholarship – Mary Bleakney – Woodrow Wilson High School Miss Katie Scholarship – Kristopher Thomas – David W. Carter High School Miss Katie Scholarship – Makayla Guerrero – Lincoln High School Neil Lockie/Dallas District Golf Association Scholarship – Luke McKinley – McKinney High School Perry Arthur Scholarship – Jackson Hunt – New Tech High at Coppell Philip Bleakney Scholarship – Hudson Winter – Kingdom Preparatory Academy Randy Smith Scholarship – Haleigh Nash – Amarillo High School Rob Norland Scholarship – Brandt Powers – Malakoff High School Ronny Glanton Scholarship – Callan Patton – Colleyville Heritage High School Ronny Golf Park Scholarship – Adelina Toba – Wakeland High School Royal Oaks Country Club / Nicholas Stafford Scholarship – Isabella Carter – Shadow Creek High School Scottie & Meredith Scheffler Scholarship – Brandon Gullo – Frisco High School Scottie & Meredith Scheffler Scholarship – Luke Ratikowski – Plano Senior High School Sherrill Park / Two Dads and a Coach Scholarship – Adalyn Hardeman – JJ Pearce High School Tehan Scholarship – Brayden Tomlinson – Frenship High School THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson Scholarship – Leroy (LT) Harris – Walnut Grove High School Thomas Hanson Memorial Scholarship – Marek Oley – Colleyville Heritage High School Troy Reiser Scholarship – Kylie Hachtel – McKinney Boyd High School UNTD / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Quintasia Isby – Lincoln High School UTA / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Jocelyn Ancelmo – W. W. Samuell High School West Texas Legends Scholarship honoring SA Smith, Hart Warren, Jay McClure and Sherwin Cox – Brayden Bridges – Compass Academy Charter School
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