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