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.

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
By Erik Anderson • August 25, 2026
Irving, Texas (August 25) – The Nelson Golf and Sports Club hosted two Northern Texas PGA Major Championships this week, the Club Car | XXIO Northern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship and the Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship. Clayton Friend claimed the Senior title, and Kim Paez claimed the Women’s title. Kim Paez, PGA Member at Ping Inc., claimed the Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship title, carding rounds of 70-72–142. Paez finished the Championship at 2-over-par, winning by four strokes. She began the final round one stroke back of Katie Flinn, director of instruction at Topgolf - Fort Worth, and her 2-over-par final round was enough to come from behind and secure the win. This is Paez’s first victory with the Northern Texas PGA since joining the section in 2025. “I stuck to my game plan this week, which was fairways and greens,” Paez said. “I think I missed only one or two fairways yesterday. I played pretty conservatively, but it paid off in the end.” Reflecting on her final round performance, Paez said, "It was a little bit windier today. It made me calculate a lot more on the tee shots.” It was an up-and-down round for Paez, but she hit her approach on hole 18 to two feet and tapped in for birdie. “The last three holes are pretty gettable, so I just had to remind myself that no matter how the round was going, I was going to have opportunities to close it out at the end.” Next week, September 3-5, Paez joins four other PGA female PGA Teaching, Coaching and Club Professionals from across the country to represent the United States in the fourth Women’s PGA Cup. They will take on Australia, Canada, Great Britain & Ireland, South Africa and Sweden in a 54-hole stroke play format at Carden Park Golf Resort in Chester, Cheshire, United Kingdom. “It is the biggest honor. When I first got my PGA Membership, and I found out about the PGA Cup, it became one of my biggest goals,” said Paez about making the team. “I was constantly checking the rankings, and coming into the KPMG [Women’s PGA Championship] and the LPGA Professionals Championship, I knew I had to lock in and give myself the best chance.” “I am so excited and so proud to represent the Northern Texas PGA as well, so hopefully I make everyone proud,” added Paez. This 36-hole Northern Texas PGA major championship is the fourth of five individual stroke play events that comprise the Woman Player of the Year points standings. The 22-player field competed for a purse of $7,500, and Kim Paez took home $1,050. The Lajitas Golf Resort Women’s Section Championship was presented by A.PUTNAM and XXIO. The Nelson Golf and Sports Club Par: 35-35–70 Women’s Championship Yardage: 5,878 yards