Norris & Gregory Set to Face Off in Final Match of the Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship
NTPGA • October 11, 2016
LUFKIN, Texas –
The morning Quarter Final Matches of the Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship featured two upsets that included the exit of the #1 seed as well as two of the top Championship seeds advancing to the Semi-Finals.
The opening match of the morning resulted in the first upset of the day with #9 seed Cameron Doan, PGA head professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, besting #1 seed Stuart Deane, PGA golf coach at The University of Texas at Arlington, 2 & 1. In the second match of the day, the second upset occurred when Paul Norris, PGA golf coach at Texas Wesleyan University (#29 seed) defeated Amanda McCurdy, PGA teaching professional at Tierra Verde Golf Course (#28 seed) 6 & 5. The third match resulted in Ben Cuzen, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club (#7 seed), defeating Thomas Devanna, PGA assistant professional at Tangle Ridge Golf Club (#8 seed), 5 & 4. And the final match resulted in #3 seed Greg Gregory, PGA assistant professional at Hidden Creek Golf Course, topping #11 seed Michael Martin, PGA teaching professional at Sinclair’s Golf Training Center, 2 & 1.
The Semi-Final matches featured Cameron Doan versus Paul Norris and Ben Cuzen versus Greg Gregory.
In the first Semi-Final match, Norris took an early lead on hole #2 and never let Doan back in the match. By the turn, Norris had a 4 UP lead. On hole #13, Doan made birdie to bring it back to 3 UP, but a par on hole #15 sealed the match for Norris for a 4 & 3 victory.
Gregory and Cuzen faced off in the other afternoon match. Cuzen took an early lead going 1 UP after three holes, but a birdie on hole #5 by Gregory brought it back to all square. On #7, Cuzen notched a birdie to go back to 1 UP, but Gregory was eventually able to swing the momentum of the match to his favor. He had a chip in on hole #15 and secure the match on hole #17 with a 3 & 1 victory.
Norris and Gregory will face off in the 18-hole Championship Match on Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. Both will be vying for their first Match Play title. The champion will take home a crystal trophy as well as $5,250 of the $36,300 Open Division purse.
In 2015, the Senior Division was expanded from four to eight of the top professionals from the 2016 OMEGA Senior Points Challenge competing for their own $9,150 purse. In today’s Semi-Final Matches, #4 seed Stuart Hendley, PGA director of instruction at Green Tree Country Club, bested #1 seed Perry Arthur, PGA part owner of The Golf Club of Dallas, 2 UP. Also, #6 seed Rick Woodson, PGA teaching professional at Sherrill Park Golf Course, defeated #2 seed Tom Strueber, PGA Life Member, 1 UP. Hendley and Woodson will square off tomorrow at 8:40 a.m. in the Championship match of the Senior Division. The champion will take home a crystal trophy and a check for $2,750.
The Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship is being contested October 10-12 at Crown Colony Country Club in Lufkin, Texas, a 6,711-yard, par 72 layout. The Championship is presented by AT&T Byron Nelson, Lorente Golf and PGA TOUR. The top 32 players on the final 2016 Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Player of the Year Points Challenge were invited to compete in the season-ending major championship.
Tomorrow’s final matchups and the results from today’s matches are listed below:
OPEN DIVISON CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
Don January Bracket Winner Lee Trevino Bracket Winner
8:30 a.m. #1 Tee
#29. Paul Norris, Texas Wesleyan University vs. #3. Greg Gregory, Hidden Creek Golf Course
SENIOR DIVISON CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016
8:40 a.m. #1 Tee
#4. Stuart Hendley, Green Tree Country Club vs. #6. Rick Woodson, Sherrill Park Golf Course
Spencer Dillard’s rise from a young golfer to a devoted PGA of America Golf Professional is a story of passion and purpose. His love for the game began when he was gifted a Tiger Wood’s golf video game as a kid. Spencer, who is now an Assistant Golf Professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, reflects on a journey shaped by the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour. Spencer’s golfing journey began at the age of seven when his parents enrolled him in a small golf camp in McKinney, Texas. A year later, he discovered the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour and started competing in tournaments. These early experiences helped him develop both his skills and excitement for the game. Spencer’s first experience on the junior tour was memorable. “I think I shot 72 for my very first [Prep Tour] event,” Dillard shares. “By the end of that year, I shot a 46. I was so happy to go from shooting a 72 for nine holes to [shooting] in the 40s.”
FORT WORTH, TX – The Northern Texas PGA held their annual Awards Banquet on Sunday, February 2, at River Crest Country Club. The banquet celebrated the 2024 NTPGA award winners, which included Northern Texas PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the Section's highest award, won by Neil Lockie, PGA director of golf at Dallas National Golf Club. This is the highest honor given annually to a Northern Texas PGA Member, and is awarded for qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the NTPGA as well as the game of golf. The complete list of award winners can be found HERE . Congratulations to all!
Today, our Section was selected as the 2025 Herb Graffis Award recipient! The award is given annually to one of the 41 PGA of America Sections for tireless dedication to growing the game of golf and furthering player-development programming in the community. Thank you to all of our PGA of America Golf Professionals who are involved in so many of our Foundation programs, helping us to impact lives in the communities we serve in North Texas! Led by President Cameron Doan, PGA, and Executive Director Kelly Gilley, PGA, the Section is backed by a membership of more than 1,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals who are employed at more than 300 facilities. The Section’s mission is to promote the enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf and to contribute to its growth by providing services to golf professionals and the golf industry. The NTPGA’s success is fueled by the Northern Texas PGA Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to promoting and growing the game of golf among diverse groups of kids in North Texas, and instilling in them the positive, character-developing traits for which the game is known. Annually, approximately 10,000 children and their families are impacted through the Foundation’s full circle of programs and services. Today, based on the three key pillars of the PGA of America REACH Foundation—Youth, Military, Diverse populations—as well as pillars for college scholarships, internships and inclusion, the Foundation reaches a greater audience to promote and grow the game. The centerpiece of the Foundation’s golf programming is the Ronny Golf Park, a first-of-its-kind facility that features a two-acre, lighted golf park made entirely of fully synthetic turf. It can be enjoyed rain or shine, day or night. It is designed with junior golfers in mind, and led by the Section’s PGA-led staff, who offer a variety of programs for children ages 3-14. The Section will be formally recognized again later this year when the PGA of America hosts its Annual Meeting at PGA Frisco in November. Congratulations to all of the 2025 PGA of America award recipients! A full list can be found HERE .
At this year's PGA Show, eight Northern Texas PGA Members and Associates were recognized as #GameChanger Award recipients! The #GameChanger Awards celebrate PGA Jr. League Coaches who go above and beyond to grow the game. The awards honor the 25 largest PGA Jr. League programs in the country as well as the largest programs in each of the 41 PGA of America Sections. The ceremony at the PGA SHOW highlighted the efforts of PGA and LPGA Professionals who are leading the way for youth to enjoy and learn the game of golf.
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