Volunteers of America Classic Continues Partnership with NTPGA Foundation

Molly Rawlins • March 8, 2021

Offering LPGA Tour Exemption for Youth Females in Texas

Dallas, TX – The Volunteers of America Classic – the only LPGA Tour event in the state of Texas – is continuing to partner with the Northern Texas PGA Foundation through a series of competitions where youth female golfers can earn an exemption spot into the LPGA Tour event annually conducted at Golf Clubs at The Tribute.

The existing relationship between the Volunteers of America Classic and the Northern Texas PGA (NTPGA) remains key; together, the NTPGA Foundation is excited to continue to promote the sport of golf and engage with youth throughout North Texas.

The NTPGA Foundation focuses on five pillars: junior golf, college scholarships, inclusion, fellowships and military & veterans. The Northern Texas PGA Junior Tour is the flagship program of the junior golf pillar and its highest level of competition, the All American Tour, annually provides 36 and 54-hole tournaments for junior golfers with an advanced level of experience. 

“We are extremely honored to continue our partnership with the Volunteers of America Classic team.” said Mark Harrison, Executive Director / CEO of the Northern Texas PGA. “The opportunity to provide one of our junior golfers a chance to compete at the highest level in professional golf helps spur engagement with the game and give back to our community. We look forward to providing our female youth with these tremendous experiences for years to come.”

In 2021, the NTPGA Junior Tour’s All American Tour Girls Series – an all-female series of tournaments – will again afford girls the opportunity to play their way into the LPGA Tour’s Volunteers of America Classic. Last year’s Girls Series resulted in Brooke Morales, now a freshman on the University of Houston’s women’s golf team, winning the exemption and fulfilling a lifelong dream by playing in the 2020 LPGA Tour Volunteers of America Classic. Coincidentally, Angela Stanford, a former Northern Texas PGA Junior Tour member herself, was eventually crowned champion at the Volunteers of America Classic last year.

The Girls Series will start and finish at the Golf Clubs at the Tribute in The Colony, Texas, starting this spring. The series will culminate in June with the Volunteers of America Classic Girls Championship, featuring players from the Northern Texas PGA Junior Tour, the Southern Texas PGA Junior Tour, and the Legends Junior Tour. Further details and guidelines will be announced in March of 2021. 

“To be able to play alongside the best players in the world is huge,” continued Harrison. “The career aspirations of many of these young and very talented ladies is directly in line with competing at the highest level, and the chance to do so while still in high school is both unique and truly incredible when you think about it.” 

In addition to awarding an LPGA Tour exemption, the partnership between the Volunteers of America Classic and the NTPGA Foundation will provide further opportunities for females through golf during championship week. During the week of the competition, Golf Clubs at The Tribute will also play host to a Drive, Chip and Putt local qualifying event, a junior golf clinic, a PGA HOPE clinic for female veterans, and award a $5,000 college scholarship to a deserving female junior golfer. 

“As a PGA Professional and a member of the Northern Texas PGA, I couldn’t be more pleased to help facilitate this enhanced partnership. Golf Clubs at The Tribute is extremely proud to be at the center of all these new opportunities for young women in North Texas,” said Mike McCabe, PGA General Manager at Golf Clubs at The Tribute.

For the team at the Volunteers of America Classic, the opportunity to help inspire the next generation of LPGA Tour players and expand its community outreach was something that fit right into the tournament’s mission.

“A focus of the Volunteers of America Classic is to grow the game and inspire the next generation of golfers in Texas,” said Tournament Director, Emily Podzielinski. “The partnership with the Northern Texas PGA allows us to achieve our goals and create champions right here in our backyard.”

For more information, visit ntpgajuniorgolf.com and VOAClassic.com.

About the Volunteers of America Classic

The 2021 Volunteers of America Classic will return to Golf Club at The Tribute’s Old American Golf Club in The Colony, TX for the fourth consecutive year. The official LPGA Tournament will feature the world’s best female golfers in a four-day stroke-play event vying for a $1.5 million purse from June 28 – July 4. Be sure to follow along online, on Instagram, Facebook, and on Twitter for the latest Tournament news.


About the LPGA

The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, FL, the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while the Symetra Tour, the official development and qualifying tour of the LPGA, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. Additionally, LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management.


The LPGA demonstrates its dedication to the development of the game through The LPGA Foundation. Since 1991, this charitable organization has been committed to empowering and supporting girls and women through developmental and humanitarian golf initiatives, such as LPGA*USGA Girls Golf.


Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on Instagram and Snapchat at @lpga_tour.


About Golf Clubs at The Tribute

Each course set on this remote peninsula inside The Tribute community was specifically designed to take you back in time to experience the game of golf in its purest form. Old American Golf Club, designed by PGA Tour Winner Justin Leonard and Golf Course Architect Tripp Davis, pays homage to the "Golden Age" of golf course architecture in America, while Tribute Golf Links also designed by Tripp Davis, allows you to immerse yourself in a true links-style course paying homage to the most famous holes in Scotland. To learn more about the Golf Clubs at The Tribute or its courses, visit www.golfclubsatthetribute.com.


About the Northern Texas PGA

The Northern Texas PGA is one of 41 Sections of the PGA of America and its geographic territory includes the State of Texas north of the 31st latitude, or just north of Austin. The Northern Texas PGA is comprised of approximately 850 PGA Members and Associates employed at more than 300 facilities. The Northern Texas PGA has 14 full-time staff members and is currently headquartered in Dallas. The Northern Texas PGA will be joining the PGA of America national office relocation to Frisco in 2022 with its own state of the art headquarters on the PGA Frisco campus. 


In addition to managing the day-to-day affairs of the Section, the Northern Texas PGA also operates a non-profit and charitable foundation that focuses on five pillars: junior golf, college scholarships, inclusion, fellowships and military and veterans. 


The mission of the Northern Texas PGA is serving PGA members and growing the game.


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. The mission of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation is positively impacting lives and communities through golf.

Team of Murphy, Faulk Jr. Win Playoff to Capture 1st & 10th Tee Golf Energy Bar Pro-Junior Championship

By Erik Anderson • August 10, 2026
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.

Jerry J. Ransom Pro-Junior-Am Benefits the Northern Texas PGA Foundation

By Logan Bearden • August 3, 2026
$268,000 Donated to Foundation

Watkins Goes Wire-to-Wire, Defends Title at the 56th M&P Group Texas State Open

By Erik Anderson • July 31, 2026
Doggett (a) and McIlwain (a) Share Low Amateur Honors Walts Finishes as Top PGA Professional

Watkins Maintains Lead, Field Closes Gap Heading into the Final Round of 56th M&P Group Texas State Open

By Erik Anderson • July 30, 2026
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