The Northern Texas PGA Foundation Awards A Record $417,000 in Scholarships
Taylor Coffelt • May 26, 2020
The Northern Texas PGA Foundation is pleased to continue its charitable commitment to higher education by announcing its 2020 scholarship recipients. Forty-four recipients have earned scholarships totaling $417,000, the largest amount ever awarded in a single year by the Foundation.
Forty-two high school seniors who will be attending college this fall were awarded $320,000 in scholarships. Each scholarship awarded varied between $5,000 and $20,000. In addition, one student was awarded a “last dollar” full scholarship to the Foundation’s partner school, the University of North Texas at Dallas, valued at approximately $92,000.
A scholarship totaling $5,000 will be awarded to one junior golfer via random drawings taking place at the Jerry J. Ransom Pro-Junior-Am in July.
“We are incredibly proud to have awarded a record of $417,000 in scholarships for high school seniors this year," said Mark Harrison, Executive Director and CEO of the Northern Texas PGA. "We are in trying times for sure, and thanks to the support of so many people who believe in our Foundation and our commitment to higher education, it was wonderful to share the great news with these students. With all things considered, they are more deserving than ever this year.”
This year, of the scholarships already awarded, 71% were based on financial need, academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement, while 29% were awarded based on academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement.
Since 1983, the Northern Texas PGA Foundation has awarded $3.19M in college scholarships to more than 550 deserving students.
The Northern Texas PGA Foundation is pleased to announce its 2020 scholarship recipients:
• AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Taleah Washington – Grand Prairie, TX
• Ben Hogan Foundation / Mike McMahan Scholarship – Marissa Bhavsar – Lewisville, TX
• Ben Hogan Foundation / Mike Wright Scholarship – Sydney McConnell – Tyler, TX
• Ben Hogan Foundation / Pat & Kori Green Scholarship – Knox Wagoner – Dallas, TX
• Birdies for Kids Scholarship – Daniela Rodriguez – Dallas, TX
• Briggs Berry Heart of a Lion Scholarship – Logan Eagle – Granbury, TX
• Cameron McCormick Golf Scholarship – Jordan Davis – Allen, TX
• Cameron McCormick Golf Scholarship – Stephanie Lee – Southlake, TX
• Cameron McCormick Golf Scholarship – Gabriella Tomanka – Grapevine, TX
• Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Tim Fields – Dallas, TX
• Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Lupita Guillien-Salinas – Dallas, TX
• Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Marcela Landin – Dallas, TX
• Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Jacqueline Miranda – Dallas, TX
• Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Marysol Ortega – Dallas, TX
• Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Josue Rosa – Dallas, TX
• Ewing Automotive Scholarship – Allee Mainord – Stephenville, TX
• Evelyn and Frank Borgsmiller Scholarship – Jovana Lara – Dallas, TX
• Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Carson Cusick – Allen, TX
• Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Garrett Hess – Gainesville, TX
• Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Mitchell Hudgens – Lubbock, TX
• Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Malini Prasad – Frisco, TX
• I AM a Golfer Foundation Scholarship – Drazell Washington – Dallas, TX
• Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Orlando (Javie) Cerda – Fort Worth, TX
• Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Jaimee Copeland – Crowley, TX
• Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Wade Langley – Winnsboro, TX
• Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – William Leslie – Diana, TX
• Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Dawson Pruitt – Canton, TX
• Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Taylor Saltzman – Ponder, TX
• Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Rebeca Altamirano – Dallas, TX
• Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Jassiel Lorea – Dallas, TX
• Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Leikiys Palacios – Dallas, TX
• Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Jesus Rodriguez – Dallas, TX
• Mac Spikes PGA Member Scholarship – MacKenzie Kenney – Hickory Creek, TX
• O’Brien Architects Scholarship – Jeremy Zhang – Plano, TX
• Randy Smith Scholarship – Matthew Hanson – Longview, TX
• Rob Norland Scholarship – Kennedy Smith – Frisco, TX
• Ronny Glanton / Dallas District Golf Association Scholarship – Coby Montalbano – Frisco, TX
• Royal Oaks Country Club / Nicholas Stafford Scholarship – Campbell Collins – Dallas, TX
• Scottie Scheffler / RSM Birdies Fore Love Scholarship – Courtney Kang – Dallas, TX
• Scottie Scheffler / RSM Birdies Fore Love Scholarship – Matthew Willner – Frisco, TX
• Sherrill Park / Two Dads & a Coach Scholarship – Trinity Malott – Stephenville, TX
• The Ratliff Group Scholarship – Jessica Aguirre – Colleyville, TX
• UNT Dallas / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Ruth Leija – Dallas, TX
• West Texas Legends Scholarship honoring S.A. Smith, Hart Warren, Jay McClure and Sherwin Cox – Aspen Escamilla – Odessa, TX
For more information about the Northern Texas PGA Foundation Scholarship Program or for additional information about our 2020 recipients, please contact Casey Rayburn at crayburn@ntpga.com or Avery Lee at alee@ntpga.com, or visit foundation.ntpga.com.
Doggett (a) Claims Low Amateur Honors Bingaman Finishes as Top PGA Professional
Bullard Native Elliott in the Hunt
TYLER, Texas (July 30) – Matthew Watkins of Rockwall, TX, carded a second round low, 30-32–62, 8-under-par, to take the co-lead of the 55th M&P Group Texas State Open. He shares it with first round leader Chris Korte of Littleton, CO. Watkins rocketed to the top of the leaderboard at the end of his second round after an albatross on the par-5, 6th hole. He hit a 4-iron from 224 yards and holed it. “I hit a big slicing 4-iron in there, and it felt great,” said Watkins. He did not get a chance to watch his albatross go in. “I would have celebrated if I knew. I wish I would have seen it go in. I mean, I was just amazed.” Through two rounds, Watkins is 5-under-par on the 6th hole. He is looking for his first Texas State Open victory. He previously earned Low Amateur honors in 2021 and 2023. Tied with Watkins is Chris Korte, who followed his opening round 62 with a 34-30–64. He started the second round on the back-nine and birdied five of his first seven holes. A birdie on his tenth hole continued the scoring, but things slowed down with a streak of pars and a bogey on the 5th. Korte received the final sponsor exemption into the Championship and has taken advantage of it so far. During the past year, he has successfully Monday qualified into four PGA TOUR events and one Korn Ferry Tour event, most recently teeing it up in the Barracuda Championship. Josh Radcliff of Grapevine, TX, is two strokes behind Watkins and Korte at 12-under-par. He tied for the lowest score of round two with a 30-32–62. “It’s been a few years since I have played, but I love the state open. My in-laws live around here…it is always fun to come out to Tyler and play this event,” said Radcliff. One of many former Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour members in the field, including Watkins, Radcliff reflected on his junior golf career saying, “NTPGA is where I got my start in competitive golf playing the 9-hole events. I shot about 108 in my first 18-hole event with the NTPGA. I had a dream of playing professionally, and the NTPGA Junior Tour was a great place to start.” Watkins, Korte and Radcliff will tee off at 9:50 a.m. tomorrow in the final group. Blake Elliott of Bullard, TX, is once again in contention. His rounds of 66-67, 7-under-par, have him in a six way tie for ninth place. He will begin his third round at 9:30 a.m. Sulphur Springs native Trevor Norby also made the cut at 3-under-par. He will start at 8:10 a.m. tomorrow on the 10th hole. Cody Massa (a) of Cave Creek, AZ currently sits in first place on the Low Amateur leaderboard at 7-under-par. Massa, originally from Arlington, TX, attended Tyler Junior College from 2005 to 2007. Massa is no stranger to the Texas State Open competing in 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016, with his highest finish coming at 7th place in 2016. Aside from the Texas State Open, Massa won the Arizona Mid-Am Championship in 2024 and 2025. Massa currently sits in first place on the Low Amateur leaderboard and tied for ninth place overall. Six amateurs made the cut. Brandon Bingaman, PGA assistant professional at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, TX, finished the second round with a 34-33-67, 3-under-par. He is at 7-under-par for the Championship and leads the PGA Professional division into tomorrow’s third round. Bingaman credits his low rounds to his new, lighthearted take on his game. “I have been playing really well lately. These past couple of weeks I have really just been trying to have more fun with it, and I think that has reflected really well in the past few days,” said Bingaman. Five PGA of America Golf Professionals made the cut. Four from the Northern Texas Section and one from the Southern Texas Section. Kyle Pritchard leads the three past champions that survived the cut. He sits at 8-under-par. Mikel Martinson (a) and Shawn Stefani also advanced to the final two rounds. The 55th 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. Sixty-one players made the cut at 1-under-par and are competing for a $201,000 Championship purse. The third round will begin 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 third year as the title sponsor and the Championship is presented by Joyce Crane and supported by CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances, Holiday Inn - Tyler Conference Center, Jucys and Patterson Tyler. Cascades Country Club Par: 35-35–70 Yardage: 6,882 yards View current results HERE .
Romo Cards 1-under-par in Opening Round