Watkins Wins 55th M&P Group Texas State Open

August 1, 2025

Doggett (a) Claims Low Amateur Honors

Bingaman Finishes as Top PGA Professional

TYLER, Texas (August 1) – Matthew Watkins of Rockwall, TX, claimed victory at the 55th M&P Group Texas State Open at Cascades Country Club. Rounds of 64-62-65-67–258, 22-under-par, earned him a one-stroke win and $40,000.


Watkins began his final round with two consecutive birdies and stretched his lead to four strokes. Bogeys on the 3rd and 5th holes saw the lead shrink back to two. Two birdies on the par-5, 6th and 8th holes got him to a 2-under-par, front nine.


On the 10th tee, Watkins held a two-stroke lead over Josh Radcliff of Keller, TX. The leaderboard got even tighter after a bogey on the 12th hole, but Watkins surged ahead with a definitive eagle on the par-5 14th hole.


Four pars on the closing stretch were enough for Watkins to close out the Texas State Open title. “It’s great. Today was an absolute battle of nerves and just trying to get it done. It feels amazing,” said Watkins.


“I talked to my coach Randy Smith, and he said at some point you are going to fall down a little bit, and it is all about not letting it affect you. So I just tried not to let it affect me, and I just came back towards the end,” said Watkins about today’s round.


In 2021 and 2023, he earned Low Amateur honors, but today’s victory marks his second professional win. “I've had positions, a chance to win, when I didn't win and I threw it away, so I am just learning from past mistakes, making sure I am hitting it in the middle and having really good speed on my putts.” 


Watkins is a former Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour member. After starting his junior golf career playing team golf on the Buffalo Creek Aces, he played on every level of the junior tour.  Watkins credits those experiences for learning how to win.


Blake Elliott of Bullard, TX, finished one stroke behind Watkins at 21-under-par, after a closing round of 32-32–64. 


Sam Murphy of Ruston, LA, made a final round charge with a round of 31-29–60, 10-under-par. That was the lowest round of the week and vaulted him to a T4 finish.


Grant Doggett (a) of Beach City, TX, claimed the Low Amateur title. He carded rounds of 67-68-64-70–269, 11-under-par. 


“It feels good. I feel like I have put in a lot of hard work, I did a lot of things well, I hit the ball well, could have made some more putts, so I could have finished a little bit higher, but I will definitely take Low Am,” said Doggett.


The PGA Professional Division was claimed by Brandon Bingaman, PGA assistant professional at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, TX. He carded rounds of 66-67-72-68–273, 7-under-par. 


“Taking Low PGA Professional is pretty cool. It’s a great field out here, so I’m just trying to compete with these guys,” said Bingaman. “I played solid, can’t complain about shooting 7-under.”


This is the 5th straight year that a Northern Texas PGA Professional has claimed this division.


One college scholarship was also awarded today after play to Cameron Phillips of Tyler, TX. He was awarded the $5,000 M&P Group Texas State Open Scholarship. 


The 55th M&P Group Texas State Open was a 72-hole stroke play event with a field of 156 professionals and amateurs. They competed for an overall Championship purse of $201,000


This was the M&P Group’s third year as the title sponsor, and the Championship was 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 final results HERE

By Erik Anderson July 1, 2026
Eight NTPGA Professionals Advance to National Championship at Streamsong Golf Resort
By Logan Bearden June 16, 2026
From left to right: Sa'Mareion Tucker, Matisse Edwards, Daisy Navarro, Leibi Chavira Reyes, Yvette Altamirano, Abril Guerrero, Ariel Meza Meza. (not pictured is Camyre' Williams who was unable to attend the banquet)
By Erik Anderson June 16, 2026
del Olmo Delivers in the Senior Division
By Logan Bearden June 9, 2026
Frisco, Texas (June 9, 2026) – The Northern Texas PGA (NTPGA) Foundation is pleased to continue its charitable commitment to higher education by announcing our 2026 scholarship recipients. Ninety high school seniors who will be attending college this fall have earned scholarships totaling $947,500, breaking last year’s record by $184,500! Since its inception in 1983, the Foundation’s scholarship program has now reached an incredible milestone, surpassing 1,000 scholarships awarded for a lifetime total of nearly $7.5 million in student support. “What amazing numbers these are!” said Northern Texas PGA Chief Executive Officer Mark Harrison. “The growth and support we have seen for our scholarship program over the last few years is remarkable, and truly unmatched. I want to thank all of our partners who make this year-over-year record possible, and I also want to congratulate and wish the best of luck to the young men and women who have worked diligently throughout high school to receive one of our scholarships this year. I know they will go on to do great things.” The 2026 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 the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), and one student was awarded a full-ride scholarship to the University of North Texas, which is a new partner school for this year. Congratulations to our 2026 scholarship recipients: A.B. Crockroft Memorial Scholarship Saydi Durbin – Mart High School Ethan Hocking – Mart High School Allison and Jerry Freeman Scholarship Niko Klassen – Homeschool ANNIKA Foundation Scholarship Alicia Bellendir – Coppell High School April and Mark Anthony Scholarship Huey Black – Canyon High School Baylor Scott & White Scholarship Garrick Ly – Lone Star High School Aliya Rasheed – Panther Creek High School Ben Hogan Foundation / Fred & Michele Reynolds Scholarship Jeffery Rubenstein – Highland Park High School Ben Hogan Foundation / Lillie Biggins Scholarship Mikayla Martin – Homeschool Ben Hogan Foundation / Mike McMahan Scholarship Adam Strauss – Greenhill School Ben Hogan Foundation / Mike Wright Scholarship Gracie Ellis – Clarendon High School Birdies For Kids Scholarship Sydnee Fain – Midland High Jade Mara – Argyle High School Cameron Doan NTPGA Golf Professional of the Year Scholarship Landon Reece – Mildred High School CJ Corporation Scholarship Katherine Bustetter – Centennial High School Harper Mallonee – Highland Park High School Luke Martin – Rockwall-Heath High School Delaney Newberry – Highland Park High School Yunjae Park – Prosper High School Deloitte / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship Yvette Altamirano – W. W. Samuell High School Matisse Edwards – David W. Carter High School Abril Guerrero – Thomas Jefferson High School Ariel Meza Meza – Thomas Jefferson High School Sa'Mareion Tucker – Lincoln High School Camyre' Williams – Lincoln High School Destination Grapevine Texas Women's Open Scholarship Audrey McCallum – Colleyville Heritage High School Dr. Bill Blair Scholarship Cameron Warner – Wakeland High School Ewing Automotive Scholarship Hannah Antunes – China Spring High School Avery Jones – Homeschool Fore Frisco Scholarship Amara Okafor – Lone Star High School Rajdeep Singh – Panther Creek High School Lauryn Spraggs – Panther Creek High School Nikki Zahedi – Lone Star High School Frank & Evelyn Borgsmiller Scholarship Alan Ocampo – Thomas Jefferson High School Fritz and Mary Lee Duda Family Foundation Scholarship Taylor Carr – McKinney Boyd High School Giveback Foundation Scholarship Jelani Johnson Simon – Panther Creek High School Evan Tupper – Lone Star High School Holly & Doug Brooks Family Foundation Scholarship Keegan Batla – Garden City High School Darby Ehrbar – Flower Mound High School Tyson Embry – Marcus High School Caroline Fent – Ursuline Academy of Dallas Riley Gudgeon – Hebron High School Xiyu Mei – Walnut Grove High School Jude Robbins – Wakeland High School I Am a Golfer Foundation Scholarship De'Asia Williams – David W. Carter High School Jackie Cupit Scholarship Brody Callens – White Oak High School Jerry Andrews Scholarship Dylan Wisener – Sachse High School Jerry J. Ransom Scholarship Max Cearley – Rockwall High School Brooks Head – Coppell High School Reed Heilig – Flower Mound High School Brooklynn Landrumm – Melissa High School Van Leugers – Rockwall High School Haylie Moore – Burleson Centennial High School Bryan Sargent – Walnut Grove High School Joe Black / Texas Golf Hall of Fame Scholarship Jacob Mekelburg – Maypearl High School Joe Bob Joyce Family Foundation Scholarship William Wampler – Canton High School Jon and Kim Morgan Scholarship Aashi Vakta – Justin Wakeland High School Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Scholarship Damir Ali – Thomas Jefferson High School Marely Angeles – Lincoln High School Dayanara Aquino – W.W. Samuell High School Montrell Horner – Lincoln High School Links on PGA Parkway Scholarship Anisaa Abdullah – Emmett J. Conrad High School Reagan Lorenson – McKinney North High School Daphny Moore – Keene High School M&P Group Texas State Open Scholarship Samuel Fate – Tyler Legacy High School Mac Spikes PGA Member Scholarship Anabelle Floriani – Lone Star High School Miss Katie Scholarship Gloria Solis – Thomas Jefferson High School Never Stop Believing Scholarship Annabeth Boyd – Trinity Preparatory Academy Perry Arthur Scholarship Faith Hughes – Community Christian School Philip Bleakney Scholarship Samuel Williams – Vilonia High School Randy Smith Scholarship Carson Niemann – Byron Nelson High School Ronny Glanton Scholarship Addison Akers – Bryan Adams High School Ronny Golf Park Scholarship Madison Bixler – Lone Star High School Riaan Nazrul – Panther Creek High School Carlo Rogers – Panther Creek High School Royal Oaks Country Club / Nicholas Stafford Scholarship Kian Sköld – Frisco High School Scottie and Meredith Scheffler Scholarship Austin Morrissette – Northwest High School Addelyn Schwarzlose – Tascosa High School Sherrill Park / Two Dads and a Coach Scholarship Kristin Coffman – Berkner High School Tehan Scholarship Cooper Knapp – Wylie High School The CJ Cup Byron Nelson Scholarship Aiden Tiet – Garland Christian Academy UNT / Fore Frisco Scholarship Kayla Rochez – Panther Creek High School UNTD / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship Daisy Navarro – W.W. Samuell High School UTA / NTPGA Fairway to Success Scholarship Leibi Chavira Reyes – W.W. Samuell High School West Texas Legends Scholarship honoring Jenny Cox Claire Smiley – Amarillo High School West Texas Legends Scholarship honoring S.A. Smith, Hart Warren, Jay McClure, and Sherwin Cox Gunnar Barrera – Levelland High School Three additional scholarship winners will be announced later this June, with recipients selected via random drawings at two upcoming events. First, the Jerry J. Ransom Pro-Junior-Am fundraising tournament will award a $5,000 scholarship to a participating recent graduate. Later in the month, the S.A. Smith West Texas Junior Invitational will host a drawing for two $2,500 memorial scholarships in honor of Jerry D. Smith, one awarded to a male participant and one to a female participant.