Two Rounds Complete at the Yamaha Golf-Car Company/ Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship

NTPGA • October 9, 2017

ODESSA, Texas – Round One and Round Two matches of the Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship resulted in four of the top ten seeds moving on to the Quarter Final Matches. Tuesday morning’s Quarter Final Matches will feature #2 seed Ben Kern, PGA head professional at Diamondback Golf Club; Danny Coughlan, PGA head professional at Abilene Country Club (#4 seed); Lee Rhind, PGA director of instruction at Midland Country Club (#7 seed); Gabe Reynolds, PGA director of instruction at Top Golf Dallas (#8 seed); Vince Jewell, PGA teaching professional at Woodbridge Golf Club (#11 seed); Adam Headley, PGA head professional at Hillcrest Country Club (#14 seed), Joe Brown, PGA teaching professional at The Courses at Watters Creek (#16 seed) and Ben Cuzen, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club (#21 seed). Cuzen is the highest remaining seed in the field. He was able to best the #12 seeded Christopher Brown, caddie on the PGA TOUR, 2&1 in Round One and #5 seed Jon Antunes, PGA director of instruction at Hot Golf, Inc., 3&2 in Round Two.
The big upset of the day came during Round One when #32 seed Dan Walden, PGA head professional at Texas Star Golf Course, bested #1 seed Brian Norman, PGA teaching professional at Gleneagles Country Club, 2UP. Walden, however, dropped his Second Round match to Brown 2UP.
The Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Match Play Championship is being contested October 9-11 at Odessa Country Club’s Old Course in Odessa, Texas, a 7,069-yard, par 72 layout. The Championship is presented by Adventures In Golf and AT&T Byron Nelson. The top 32 players on the final 2017 Yamaha Golf-Car Company / Lajitas Golf Resort Player of the Year Points Challenge were invited to compete in the season-ending major championship. Quarter Final Matches will be played on Tuesday morning with the Semi-Final Matches following in the afternoon. The Championship Match will be played on Wednesday morning, with the winner taking home $5,500 of the $36,800 Open Division purse.
The Championship also includes a Senior Division. The division features eight of the top professionals from the 2017 OMEGA Senior Points Challenge list competing for their own $9,200 purse. Today the Senior Division played the Quarter Final and Semi-Final Matches with Bruce Smith, PGA director of instruction at Black Belt Golf Academy (#1 seed) and Henry Cagigal, PGA assistant professional at Rockwood Golf Course (#7 seed) advancing to Tuesday morning’s Final Match. The eventual Senior Division champion will take home a trophy and a check for $2,800.
Tomorrow morning’s matches are listed below:
QUARTER FINAL MATCHES, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2017
Ben Hogan Bracket
9:00 a.m. #1 Tee
#16. Joe Brown, The Courses at Watters Creek vs. #8. Gabe Reynolds, Top Golf - Dallas
Don January Bracket
9:10 a.m. #1 Tee
#4. Danny Coughlan, Abilene Country Club vs. #21. Ben Cuzen, Preston Trail Golf Club
Byron Nelson Bracket
9:20 a.m. #1 Tee
#2. Ben Kern, Diamondback Golf Club vs. #7. Lee Rhind, Midland Country Club
Lee Trevino Bracket
9:30 a.m. #1 Tee
#14. Adam Headley, Hillcrest Country Club vs. #11. Vince Jewell, Woodbridge Golf Club
SENIOR FINAL MATCH, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2017
9:50 a.m. #1 Tee
#1. Bruce Smith, Black Belt Golf Academy vs. #7. Henry Cagigal, Rockwood Golf Course

By Sarah Jordan February 11, 2025
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.” 
By Molly Rawlins February 3, 2025
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!
By Sarah Jordan January 22, 2025
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 .
By Sarah Jordan January 21, 2025
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. 
More Posts
Share by: