Playoff Victories at the Talley Riggins Construction Group | Boxto Pro-Pro Championship

Steven Clements • March 19, 2024

Champions from left to right: Senior Division Bruce Smith & Brian Mahon | Open Division Blake Elliott & Rick Woodson

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (March 19) – The Open Division and Senior Division titles at the Talley Riggins Construction Group | Boxto Pro-Pro Championship were decided in extra holes at Southern Trace Golf Club.


Rick Woodson, PGA instructor at Sherrill Park Golf Course and Blake Elliott, PGA eagled the first playoff hole to defeat Clint Avara, PGA instructor at TGA Premier Sports - Collin County and Brian Norman, PGA instructor at Lakewood Country Club.


Both teams finished the championship at 10-under-par after final rounds of 64 and 65 respectively, and returned to the 18th tee box for a sudden death playoff. After hitting his approach into the par-5 just off the back edge of the green, Elliott had a downhill, left to right breaking putt from 35 feet, that found the hole to win. “I saw the read earlier and knew exactly what it was going to do. It was pretty much get it started on the line with good speed and that was it,” said Elliott.


Woodson, who won two individual Section Major Championships said “They are always fun to win, but this is amazing to win as a team. Especially with Blake,” about their win today. The team won a combined $4,500 of the $30,000 Open Division purse.


The championship was hosted at Southern Trace Country Club and featured a full field of 60, two-person teams that competed in a Four-Ball Stroke Play format for a share of the $39,000 overall purse. The Championship was the second of four team events on the Northern Texas PGA tournament schedule this year.



In the Senior Division the team of Bruce Smith, PGA director of instruction at Black Belt Golf Academy and Brian Mahon, PGA director of instruction at Rockwall Golf and Athletic Club won after a two hole playoff. They bested Rafael Floriani, PGA education faculty member at the PGA of America and Gilbert Freeman, PGA Life Member and duo Todd McCorkle, PGA Life Member and Paul Norris, PGA. All three teams finished the championship at 6-under-par.


Smith and Mahon birdied five of their last six holes to get into the playoff with the other two teams. Playing the par-4 9th hole the first time, each team made par. On the second attempt Mahon drained a 15-foot uphill putt for birdie to capture the title. “We got hot coming in to make the playoff holes and pulled it off somehow,” said Mahon. “I always feel pretty comfortable when Brian has the putter in his hand,” said Smith. They will head home with $2,000 of the $9,000 Senior Division purse.


The Talley Riggins Construction Group | Boxto Pro-Pro Championship was presented by Adventures In Golf, Callaway Golf, E-Z-GO, Golf Scorecards Inc., Jim Quinn Finer Golf Products, Lorente Golf, and THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. 


Southern Trace Country Club

Par: 36-36–72

Open Division Yardage: 7,038 yards

Senior Division Yardage 6,572 yards


View the final results
HERE


By Erik Anderson • September 29, 2026
GREENVILLE, Texas (September 28) – For the second year in a row, Spencer Dillard, PGA director of golf at Golf Clubs at The Tribute, claimed the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Shootout at The Oaks, taking home $25,000 for the win. Just like last year, it took Dillard two playoff holes to best runner-up Nick Paez, instructor at The Ronny Golf Park. Both players found the 440-yard, par 4, 9th green in two, but a costly three-putt from Paez from 35 feet led to Dillard finishing off a nervy three-foot putt for the win. Dillard also won with a par in last year’s event and has now taken home the victory in two out of three years in the event’s short history. “It’s pretty special, just the opportunity to play in the event. I just can’t thank Dr. Ransom enough for putting this on and all he does for us,” said Dillard. “Just being able to play is a huge deal and then lasting through the shootout is so tough, so it feels great to be here.” The players in the shootout were battling in what seemed to be a competition of who could continue to make birdies. “Nathan was 9-under through a 12-hole stretch today and still went out. There is so much talent in our Section, so you got to go win it,” said Dillard. Longtime Northern Texas PGA Foundation supporter Jerry J. Ransom welcomed 98 Northern Texas PGA Members and Associates to The Oaks Country Club for the third annual Shootout. The event was created to recognize the PGA Professionals across the Section who dedicate their time and energy to growing the game through the NTPGA Foundation’s initiatives. The event was developed by Ransom as a way to thank PGA Professionals across the Northern Texas Section while also providing exposure to The Oaks Country Club. The Oaks is a top-five nine-hole course in Texas according to the Dallas Morning News golf course rankings. The format for the event featured a 9-hole qualifier, with the top three finishers and one randomly selected participant moving on to the evening shootout. Nathan Park, instructor at Stonebriar Country Club, qualified first after finishing with an impressive 6-under-par, 30. Dillard was the next to advance, carding a 4-under-par, 32, and finally Paez at 3-under-par, 33, who won a six-for-one spot playoff with a birdie on the first extra hole in the playoff. Zack Vinson, PGA head professional at Athens Country Club, was the random drawing winner. The nine-hole Shootout portion of the event was played in three stages of three holes each, with one professional eliminated after every stage. After the first three holes, Vinson was eliminated and landed a prize of $2,500. The scores were then reset to even par, and the second three holes saw Nathan Park bow out, despite being 9-under-par through 15 holes. He played his final three holes in the shootout at even par. Still, he earned $7,500 for his efforts. The scores again reset to even par for the final three-hole segment, where Dillard and Paez battled it out for three holes, followed by two extra holes in the playoff.
By Erik Anderson • September 23, 2026
Woodson and Schaefer (a) Capture Senior Division
By Erik Anderson • September 16, 2026
Little Secures Senior Division
By Erik Anderson • August 25, 2026
Six qualify for Senior PGA Professional Championship