The Northern Texas PGA Foundation Awards $696,500 in Scholarships, Continues to Break Own Record
June 5, 2023
The Northern Texas PGA (NTPGA) Foundation is pleased to continue its charitable commitment to higher education by announcing our 2023 scholarship recipients. A record 80 high school seniors who will be attending college this fall have earned scholarships totaling $696,500 – the most ever awarded in a single year by the NTPGA Foundation.
The 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 University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).
Two $5,000 scholarships, the iWash of Texas Scholarship and the Gary Dunkerson College Scholarship, will be awarded to two junior golfers via a random drawing during the SA Smith West Texas Junior Invitational tournament later this June.
Another two scholarships thanks to the Texas Wounded Warrior Foundation totaling $10,000 will be awarded to two students graduating high school or currently in college who are the child or grandchild of a past NTPGA PGA HOPE graduate.
“To award $696,500 in scholarships this year to a record-breaking 80 students is truly incredible," said Mark Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Texas PGA. “We would not be able to continue this program without the support of everyone who believes in our Foundation and our commitment to higher education. Thank you to our supporters, and congratulations to these 80 deserving students. We know they all have a bright future ahead.”
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.
Since 1983, the Northern Texas PGA Foundation has awarded $4.99 M in college scholarships to 754 deserving students.
Listed below are the names of the 2023 scholarship recipients:
- Allison & Jerry Freeman Scholarship – Jack Whalen – Dallas, TX
- April & Mark Anthony Scholarship – Luke Newton – Highland Village, TX
- Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America Scholarship – Grace Frei – The Colony, TX
- AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Maddox Burton – Irving, TX
- AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Clarita Fuentes – Dallas, TX
- AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Gael Soto-Barboza – Dallas, TX
- AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Lizbeth Enriquez – Dallas, TX
- AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Gabriel Herrera – Dallas, TX
- AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Leslie Jamarillo – Dallas, TX
- Ben Hogan Foundation / Bruce & Gloria Devlin Scholarship – Brock Braden – Midland, TX
- Ben Hogan Foundation Scholarship – Matthew Rui – Allen, TX
- Ben Hogan Foundation Scholarship – James Thomson – Dallas, TX
- Birdies for Kids Scholarship – Seve Aguirre – Colleyville, TX
- Birdies for Kids Scholarship – Davis Ovard – Frisco, TX
- CMAA Scholarship – Lilly Sillis – Midlothian, TX
- Dean Larsson / Dallas District Golf Association Scholarship – Katherine Brown – Colleyville, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Cithlaly Crispin – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Shane Davis – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Doris Gradiz – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Rachelle Gutierrez – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Jose Loredo Quintana – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Emily Silva – Dallas, TX
- Dr. Bill Blair Scholarship – Brett Walsh – Lantana, TX
- Ewing Automotive Scholarship – Sophie Drago – Mansfield, TX
- Ewing Automotive Scholarship – Nathan Womack – Elk City, OK
- Frank & Evelyn Borgsmiller Scholarship – Areli Macz Melchor – Dallas, TX
- Fritz & Mary Lee Duda Family Foundation Scholarship – William Kroneberger – McGregor, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – AJ Adams – Plano, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Jeremiah Cuellar – Midlothian, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Chase Fields – Roswell, NM
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Jack Kash – Flower Mound, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Jordyn Keeton – Forsan, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Jacob Pasteur – Roanoke, TX
- I Am a Golfer Foundation Scholarship – Aliya Larzeia – Dallas, TX
- I Am a Golfer Foundation Scholarship – JaLynn McKinney – Dallas, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Dante Bush – Plano, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Grant Kutz – Coppell, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Lauren Gatsos – Fort Worth, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Christian Willis – Hickory Creek, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Katya Tibbets – Montgomery,TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Julia Helsel – Arlington, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Madison Wong – Allen, TX
- Joe Bob Joyce Family Foundation Scholarship – Magen Dow – Ponder, TX
- Joe Black / Texas Golf Hall of Fame Scholarship – Kade Burton – Midland, TX
- Jon & Kim Morgan Scholarship – Lucas Thorley – Alvarado, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Greece Gomez – Dallas, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Ashley Cruz – Dallas, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Destiny Reed – Dallas, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Luis Leon Pastor – Dallas, TX
- Links on PGA Parkway Scholarship – Grady Ault – Jacksonville, TX
- Links on PGA Parkway Scholarship – Madison Wert – Roanoke, TX
- Links on PGA Parkway Scholarship – Evan Wunsch – Trophy Club, TX
- M&P Group Texas State Open Scholarship – William Gillen – Tyler, TX
- Mac Spikes PGA Member Scholarship – Maddie Anders – Fairview, TX
- Misty Morgan / Laura Morgan FISD Scholarship – Erica Kim – Frisco, TX
- Mizzen + Main Scholarship – Barret Wisener – Dallas, TX
- Perry Arthur Scholarship – Kennedy McCullough – Aledo, TX
- PGA Frisco Scholarship – Aashana Patel – Frisco, TX
- Philip Bleakney Scholarship – Chase Brown – Wichita Falls, TX
- Randy Smith Scholarship – Elena Jurado – Childress, TX
- Rob Norland Scholarship – Marcus Williams – Prosper, TX
- Ronny Glanton Scholarship – Blake Patterson – Forney, TX
- Royal Oaks Country Club / Nicholas Stafford Scholarship – Madeleine Melson – Colleyville, TX
- Scottie & Meredith Scheffler Scholarship – Olivia Santiago – Flower Mound, TX
- Scottie & Meredith Scheffler Scholarship – Kara Kim – Frisco, TX
- Talley Riggins Construction Group Scholarship – Shay West – San Angelo, TX
- Tees for Keys Scholarship – Michael Rasmussen – Lufkin, TX
- The Ronny Golf Park Scholarship – Jackson Baughman – Prosper, TX
- Thomas Hanson Memorial Scholarship – Diane “Queenie” Guercio – Plano, TX
- Two Dads and a Coach / Sherrill Park Scholarship – Will Harris – Garland, TX
- Two Dads and a Coach / Sherrill Park Scholarship – Victoria Malott – Richardson, TX
- Two Dads and a Coach / Sherrill Park Scholarship – Catalina Malott – Richardson, TX
- UNTD / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Eh Tu Gae – Dallas, TX
- UTA / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Joshua Puga – Dallas, TX
- West Texas Legends Scholarship honoring SA Smith, Hart Warren, Jay McClure and Sherwin Cox Scholarship – Ethan Evans – Amarillo, TX
- Workday Scholarship – David Jensen – Hickory Creek, TX
For more information about the Northern Texas PGA Foundation scholarship program or for additional information about our 2023 recipients, please contact Casey Rayburn at crayburn@ntpga.com or visit www.ntpgajuniorgolf.com/scholarships.
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.
$268,000 Donated to Foundation
Doggett (a) and McIlwain (a) Share Low Amateur Honors Walts Finishes as Top PGA Professional
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