Ten Northern Texas PGA Members to Represent the Section at the PGA Professional Championship

Playing in the PGA Professional Championship isn’t anything new to Brian Norman. The PGA Instructor at Lakewood Country Club has qualified for 10 PGA Professional Championships since receiving his Class A Membership in 2013. Norman was introduced to the game of golf through the men on the golf course he grew up on in western Kentucky. From there, he was able to shadow golf instructors from across the country, ultimately leading him to become a teaching professional. “The greatest thing that teaching golf has done for me is it has given me an avenue to do something that I really love and to pass along my passion to someone else who is very passionate about golf.” Norman is preparing for the PGA Professional Championship by starting early and heading out to the course as often as he can. After qualifying for the PGA Championship back in 2014, Norman’s goal is to get back to the PGA Championship this year to be able to play in a major in his home state of Kentucky. 

Gabe Reynolds, PGA regional director of instruction at Topgolf Dallas, is excited to be back at this year’s PGA Professional Championship. Last year, Reynolds qualified for the Corebridge Financial PGA Team through the PGA Professional Championship at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Golf Club and played in the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. “The reward of getting to show up to that tee time on Thursday, getting to hear your name announced and hit that tee shot and play in front of the giant crowds on a great golf course, there's just nothing like it.” Reynolds' most memorable moment from the Championship was hitting the longest drive of the day on the range that Wednesday and having his name put up on the leaderboard. When he isn’t practicing his drives out on the course, he is helping his students with their drives at Topgolf. He expresses that it is a “gratifying experience” to help a beginner understand how the game works and to give them the ability to make golf a part of their life. Reynolds states, “It’s a very fortunate thing to get to help others improve, and something I love so much.” 

Alongside Reynolds at the PGA Championship last year was JJ Killeen, PGA director of golf at Red Feather Golf and Social Club. This will be his third time competing in the PGA Professional Championship. He is preparing by making the drive from Lubbock to Frisco and getting a couple of extra practice rounds in on Fields Ranch. Killeen shares that the course at PGA Frisco is “a great course, very fair, very challenging.” When Killeen isn’t preparing for the tournament, you can still find him out at the course, sometimes with some special guest stars. “Guys like Parker McCollum, Wade Bowen, Pat Green and some other country guys, it’s been cool [playing with them]!” He believes that it isn’t always about the “skill,” but about the fun you have while out on the course. “I just want to play with guys who want to have a fun time out there. They’re cool and they love golf, it’s a fun experience for everybody.”

Being a golf professional runs in the Bruns family. PGA head professional at Trinity Forest Golf Club, Robert Bruns, has been around the game his entire life. He, his father and his brother are all Class A Members. The Bruns family will be traveling to Frisco to watch Robert take on the Championship. His brother James will be his caddie. This will be the fourth PGA Professional Championship that Bruns will play in. “When you qualify in your first couple [PGA Professional Championships], you get excited because you have this opportunity to represent everybody that's watching you,” said Bruns. “I would say now it’s like playing a regular round.” He is not only preparing his game physically by practicing, but also through the golf lessons he teaches. “It keeps me fresh. It keeps me challenged. It continues to push me to get better.”

Kent Graham, PGA director of golf at Gleneagles Country Club, is looking forward to getting another chance at playing in the PGA Professional Championship. After moving to the Northern Texas Section from Illinois, Graham is ready for another shot to try to advance to the PGA Championship. He is spending his practice time around the green preparing for the fast greens and driving accuracy at Fields Ranch sharing, “you can get yourself in some pretty interesting spots out there.” If Kent is not out on the course, he is spending time with his wife and kids. His wife, Mary, will be caddying for him at the Championship. “She is the best caddie that I’ve ever had and the best greens reader I know.” While golf has taken him and his family all across the country, he says that his mentor since he began in the industry has been Greg Scott, PGA head professional at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. Kent shares that he has taught him so much about being a golf professional. “He has been someone strong to lean on and show me what a professional is supposed to be and how to connect with members…he’s been a huge asset.”

When asked what he is most excited about for the PGA Professional Championship, Brandon Bingaman, PGA assistant professional at Gleneagles Country Club, says the competition. “I love the competition. I love the nerves and then going out there and seeing where everyone stacks up.” After moving to Texas in 2018, Brandon expressed that the friendships he has made here have been his favorite part of being in the Northern Texas Section. “I’ve always called each club I’ve been at my home,” said Bingaman. “There's always a hand willing to help and they foster great competition as well.” After winning last year’s Northern Texas PGA Professional Championship at Fields Ranch, Bingaman feels prepared to be back stating, “I just need to go in with the experience to commit to each shot, never quit, just trust the process and trust my ability will get me to where I want to be.” Bingman competed in the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club.

Making his first appearance at the PGA Professional Championship is Robert Shields, PGA Member at The Winsford Group. Rob has been in the golf industry for the last 30 years. He shares that his favorite part of working in golf is watching people get better and the connections that you build with the people that you play with. Recently, his son has taken up the game and is Shield's new practice partner. Shields says that his typical practice day starts after his son gets out of school and they will go practice and hit balls together. Continuing to play the game is something that Rob cherishes. The advice he would give to a young professional getting started in the industry is to “take some time for yourself to enjoy the game of golf.” 

Matt Ryba will be competing in the tournament for the second year in a row. After playing in the Championship last year, he expresses that it is “nerve-racking” but he is excited to get back at it and give it another shot. Ryba has been practicing for the tournament by playing practice rounds out at Fields Ranch with his fellow co-workers. He shares that the course is difficult but doable. “Par is a hell of a score out there,” said Ryba. “It’s all about bogey avoidance.” Matt will be joined at the tournament by the members at Preston Trail and his family. His dad will even be caddying for him. 

Also making his second appearance in the PGA Professional Championship is Spencer Dillard. Between practicing out on Fields Ranch, short game work and journaling each round, Dillard believes that he has a solid game plan to prepare for the tournament. His goal to get to the PGA Championship goes all the way back to his first year of college. “I was doing an internship at a club in Bedford Hills, New York, and my director of golf had qualified for the PGA Championship. I didn’t know much about the PGA Championship or the team of 20, but I thought ‘wow this is really special.’” Outside of Section events, Dillard recently had the opportunity to play in the TaylorMade National Championship where he placed second. While playing in extra tournaments is motivation to play well in the PGA Professional Championship, so is the support from his club and his fellow Preston Trail teammates. Dillard shares, “You want to play well, but you all want to play well, so it holds us each accountable. Me, Nic and Matt all have something we can achieve, and we can achieve it together. That would be cool.” 

Nic Ishee will be competing in his third PGA Professional Championship and will be playing for a chance to get back to the PGA Championship. Ishee competed in the PGA Championship back in 2022 at Southern Hills Country Club. Since then, Ishee has been working to catch that feeling again. “It’s the most fun thing I’ve ever done and the most nervous I’ve ever been.” In preparation for the tournament, Nic is making sure to get out to the course as often as possible to “do some homework” and mentally prepare by making sure to have a good game plan and a good attitude. His key to a good attitude - having a great caddie. Ishee shares that his friend and co-worker Jeff Stroube will be caddying for him again at the tournament. “Most caddies take the headcover off and hand the player the putter, he takes the headcover off and hands me the headcover just messing with me.” Nic believes that the staff and members at Preston Trail have helped him develop significantly. “They want to see us succeed not only in golf but in life.”