The Northern Texas PGA Foundation Awards A Record $454,500 in Scholarships
Molly Rawlins • June 1, 2021
The Northern Texas PGA Foundation is pleased to continue its charitable commitment to higher education by announcing our 2021 scholarship recipients. Fifty-four recipients have earned scholarships totaling $454,500, the largest amount ever awarded in a single year by the Foundation.
Fifty-four high school seniors who will be attending college this fall were awarded $454,500 in scholarships. Each scholarship awarded varied between $2,500 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 later this summer, and another two scholarships totaling $5,000 will be awarded to two additional junior golfers via a random drawing at the SA Smith West Texas Junior Invitational later in June.
“We are incredibly proud to have awarded a record of $454,500 in scholarships for fifty-four high school seniors this year," said Mark Harrison, Executive Director and CEO of the Northern Texas PGA. "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. They are all very well-deserving of these funds.”
This year, of the scholarships already awarded, 70% were based on financial need, academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement, while 30% were awarded based on academic performance, extracurricular activities and community involvement.
Since 1983, the Northern Texas PGA Foundation has awarded $3.64M in college scholarships to more than 600 deserving students.
The Northern Texas PGA Foundation is pleased to announce its 2021 scholarship recipients:
- Allison & Jerry Freeman Scholarship – Hunter Rudloff – Stephenville, TX
- April & Mark Anthony Scholarship – Tatum McClellan – Abilene, TX
- AT&T Byron Nelson Scholarship – Noah Martinez – Dallas, TX
- Ben Hogan Foundation / Lynn Vaughn Scholarship – Ella Fisher – Aledo, TX
- Ben Hogan Foundation / Mike Ball Scholarship – Brian Ting – Carrollton, TX
- Ben Hogan Foundation / Tom Stites Scholarship – Mitchell Greenberg – Southlake, TX
- Birdies for Kids Scholarship – Walker Buckle – Frisco, TX
- Briggs Berry Heart of a Lion Scholarship – Caleb Anderson – Granbury, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Erin Crittendon – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Analee Quintana – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Alejandra Resendez – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Mykielia Lovgren – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Catalina Salazar – Dallas, TX
- Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Antonio Segura – Dallas, TX
- Ewing Automotive Scholarship – Evan Altheide – Keller, TX
- Ewing Automotive Scholarship - Tyler McCullough - Odessa, TX
- Evelyn and Frank Borgsmiller Scholarship – Diego Aguilar – Dallas, TX
- Fritz & Mary Lee Duda Family Foundation Scholarship – Sam Sewell – Lantana, TX
- Higginbotham Texas State Open Scholarship - Joshua German - Canton, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Hannah Sirkin – Grapevine, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Ella Booe – Lubbock, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Arjun Trehan – Allen, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Sorcha Odima – Mansfield, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Jackson Comer – Lubbock, TX
- Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship – Gordon Schmerbeck – Dallas, TX
- I AM a Golfer Foundation Scholarship – Julian Seemion – Dallas, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Tate Lewis – Paris, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Madison Phung – Frisco, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Mariam Tran – Sulphur Springs TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Stella Beaty – Rockwall, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Payton Berry – Stratford, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Greg Seo – Carrollton, TX
- Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship – Cameron Kraweic – Waxahachie, TX
- Joe Bob Joyce Family Foundation – Jake Sewell – Lantana, TX
- Jonna & Jill Foundation Scholarship – Hayden Boykin – Fort Worth, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Sol Cabrera – Dallas, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Adelina Diaz – Dallas, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Jovany Vences – Dallas, TX
- Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship – Geohvanny Vargas – Dallas, TX
- Mac Spikes PGA Member Scholarship – Tristan Doan – Frisco, TX
- O’Brien Architects Scholarship – Ashlee Johnson – Lewisville, TX
- Randy Smith Scholarship – Anthony Zhang – Allen, TX
- Rob Norland Scholarship – Sydney Williams – Frisco, TX
- Royal Oaks Country Club / Nicholas Stafford Scholarship – Parker Walden – Hurst, TX
- Scottie Scheffler Scholarship – Kohlton Mathis – Fort Worth, TX
- Scottie Scheffler Scholarship – Luke Jun – Dallas, TX
- Sherrill Park / Two Dads & A Coach Scholarship – Trinity Malott – Richardson, TX
- Simon Buckle / Dallas District Golf Association Scholarship – Nicholas Pursley – Odessa, TX
- The Ratliff Group Scholarship – Chase Walts – Flower Mound, TX
- UNT Dallas / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship – Noelia Espinosa – Dallas, TX
- Volunteers of America Classic Scholarship – Tiffany Cao – Midlothian, TX
- West Texas Legends Scholarship honoring S.A. Smith, Hart Warren, Jay McClure and Sherwin Cox – Davis Seybert – Midland, TX
For more information about the Northern Texas PGA Foundation Scholarship Program or for additional information about our 2021 recipients, please contact Casey Rayburn at crayburn@ntpga.com or visit foundation.ntpga.com.
About the Northern Texas PGA Foundation
Founded in 1983, the nationally acclaimed Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, was rebranded in 2019 as the Northern Texas PGA Foundation. The Northern Texas PGA Foundation focuses on five pillars: junior golf, college scholarships, inclusion, fellowships and military and veterans.
The Northern Texas PGA Foundation is governed by the Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors and is supported by the Northern Texas PGA Foundation Trustees.
The mission of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation is positively impacting lives and communities through golf.
$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
TYLER, Texas (July 29) – Defending Champion Matthew Watkins of Rockwall, TX, fired a bogey-free second round 31-30–61, 9-under-par, to take a six-stroke lead at the 56th M&P Group Texas State Open. Back-to-back 61s for a 36-hole total of 18-under-par, 122, breaks the 36-hole M&P Group Texas State Open scoring record previously held by Tanner Napier after his 15-under-par, 125, in 2024. Watkins started on hole 10 and made four pars to begin his round. He closed his opening nine with five straight birdies to shoot 30. “The first three holes I didn’t really hit my best shots, but I got those up-and-down, and that was big,” he said. Watkins made the turn and continued his fantastic round with four birdies in his final six holes. “I’m just playing really solid. That’s all I really got. It’s hard to imagine,” Watkins said about his pair of 61s. “Back-to-back 61s is really good, but we're only halfway there.” Out of the eight par-5s that Watkins has faced this week, he has birdied seven of them. “My grandpa will let me know [about it] when I make a par on a par-five. I made par on that second-to-last hole, so I’m sure I’ll hear about it,” Watkins joked. Watkins is a former Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour member. After starting his junior golf career playing the NTPGA’s team golf on the Buffalo Creek Aces, he played on every level of the junior tour. “It was a lot of fun; that’s where I met my caddie, and we’ve been friends ever since. I loved it a lot,” said Watkins about his time on the team. In solo second place is Eli Ortego of Lafayette, LA. After a first round 32-34–66, Ortego carded an eight-under-par, 32-30–62. Today, Ortego teed off on hole 10 and came out firing. “I got off to a good start. I hit a pitching wedge to probably 10 feet and made the putt. Then, I actually chipped in on 12, so pretty quick start. I was lucky enough to birdie some par-5s coming in, and kept it going on the back nine,” said Ortego. Ortego said he checked the leaderboard after he finished, and it is “kinda crazy” that he’s six strokes back. “I just got to keep the pedal down and keep making birdies.” A two-way tie for third includes former champion Kyle Pritchard of Castroville, TX, and Cooper Schultz of Wichita, KS, both at 10-under-par. Schultz was the only player out of the four to tee off in the morning wave. He was the leader in the clubhouse after a round of 31-32–63. “It was a pretty good day. There were definitely a lot of putts I could have made, but yeah, solid day,” he commented. Pritchard was the champion of the 2019 Texas State Open and has made ten straight cuts. “There were definitely some nerves,” Pritchard said, talking about trying to make the cut this week. Pritchard played with Watkins the past two days and said his round today felt like one or two under despite his 31-34–65. “He couldn’t do anything wrong; I’d hit close, and he’d hit it closer. It was frustrating, but fun to watch.” Watkins, Ortego and Schultz tee it up at 9:50 a.m. tomorrow. Pritchard goes off right before them at 9:40 a.m. Grant Doggett (a) of Beach City, TX, currently sits in first place on the Amateur leaderboard and tied for 25th place overall at 5-under-par. Doggett (a) is the defending low amateur after finishing at 11-under-par and 12th place overall last year. “I love coming up here and playing this event; the golf course is always great.” Doggett (a) will start his senior year on the University of Houston golf team this fall. Chase Walts, PGA assistant professional at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, TX, and Bret Gray, PGA Member, lead all other PGA Members for the honors of low PGA Professional. Both sit at 7-under-par and tied for ninth overall. Walts will tee off at 9:20 a.m. and Gray at 8:50 a.m. Seven PGA of America Golf Professionals made the cut. Five from the Northern Texas Section and two from the Southern Texas Section. 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 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 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