PGA REACH Southern Texas Awards $115,000 in College Scholarships
May 12, 2020 • Blake Davis
This year's amount is an all-time high for the PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program

SPRING, TEXAS—The PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program is awarding 28 scholarships amounting to $115,000 to 20 individuals for the 2020-21 school year. This amount is an all-time high for the foundation.
Since 1999, the PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program (formally known as the STPGA Foundation Scholarship Program) has awarded more than 360 scholarships and over $1,190,000 to young adults seeking higher education. Scholarships are given to graduating high school and current college students who demonstrate high levels of achievement and outstanding character.
“It is always exciting to announce the recipients of our scholarship program,” said Thomas Hutton, Executive Director of the Southern Texas PGA, “But this year, it was especially rewarding to provide some positive news to students who had their school year cut short by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.”
Applications for the scholarship program open each year in January. This year, the program received over 330 applications from across Southern Texas. Following the online application process, this year’s recipients were chosen by a group of trustees.
“We had an impressive group of applicants this year making it difficult for our trustees to pick their recipients,” said Hutton. “One of our trustees, PGA TOUR player and Masters Champion, Patrick Reed, had such a hard time deciding, that he decided to double his donation to the program and award two well-deserving young men the Patrick Reed Scholarship.”
Started last year by Team Reed Foundation, the Patrick Reed Scholarship is awarded for $10,000 to graduating high school seniors who exemplify hard work both on and off the golf course.
PGA TOUR player, Shawn Stefani, also increased his scholarship amount this year, awarding one high school senior $10,000 to pursue higher education.
“We are so grateful for our trustees’ support in this year’s program,” said Hutton. “To have 2020 be our record-high amount for scholarships shows how supportive our Southern Texas golf community is.”
To view a full list of this year's scholarship recipients, please click here
. For more information about the PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program, please click here
.
About PGA REACH Southern Texas:
Founded in 1994 as the Southern Texas PGA Foundation and then rebranded to PGA Reach Southern Texas in 2019, this 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization strive to positively impact the lives of youth, military, and diverse populations. PGA Reach Southern Texas has 4 distinct pillars with multiple programs to demonstrate the impact of golf on individuals. Junior Golf – College Scholarships – Military Involvement – Employment Opportunities.

Good Evening Players, Parents, & Family Friends, The temperatures may be cold, but the golf is heating up with red-hot competition and non stop excitement. Srixon Prestige Tour Champions - January The Srixon Prestige Tour burst into the new season with the Prestige Tour Premiere at The Golf Club at Texas A&M in College Station, delivering drama from start to finish. Mason McCord of The Woodlands, TX stole the spotlight in the Boys 11–14 Division, firing a sizzling 5-under-par second round and sealing the victory with a clutch birdie on the third playoff hole. In the Boys 15-18 Division, Ben Wylie of Houston, TX stayed cool under pressure, posting an even-par final round to capture his first-ever Prestige Tour win. On the girls’ side, Sadie Westbrook of Houston, TX was in complete control—building a two-shot lead after Round 1 and never giving it back on her way to her first career Prestige Tour victory. The momentum rolls on as January wraps up in Bandera, where Flying L Golf Course will host the Heart of Texas Classic and crown three more champions. Texas Junior Golf Alliance For the 13th straight year, the Texas Junior Golf Alliance—powered by the Texas Golf Association in partnership with the Northern and Southern Texas PGA Sections—continues to open the door to one of the biggest stages in Texas junior golf. Srixon Prestige Tour players will have the opportunity to earn their way onto the Legends Junior Tour, where the state’s top junior talent compete at the highest level. Don’t miss your chance to take the next step— click here to learn more about the Legends Junior Tour and click here to see the Legends Junior Tour exemptions available at Srixon Prestige Tour events this spring. Thank You to our Sponsors! For the eighth consecutive year, Srixon is returning as the sole Prestige Tour Title Partner for the 2026 year. Keep in mind, if you are looking for golf balls to golf clubs, Srixon is one of the premiere brands in the industry and will always keep you at the top of your game.

Bandera, TX (January 31 - February 1, 2026) – This weekend, the Srixon Prestige Tour held the Heart of Texas Classic at Flying L Ranch Golf Course, and it was a great event from start to finish. A big thank-you to Flying L for being such a fantastic host and providing an excellent setting for our players. Despite the cold weather, competitors pushed through and brought great energy all weekend, making it a successful and memorable tournament. Read more about the winning junior golfers below.

Organization continues its support for both junior golfers and PGA Professionals SPRING, TX (January 28, 2026) - The Southern Texas PGA is thrilled to welcome back First Community Credit Union (First Community) as a returning Patron Partner of the STPGA and its initiatives. This will mark the third year that the organizations are tied together with a shared mission to give back to the Houston community, create unique storytelling opportunities, and invest in the next generation of golfers. The partnership spans across all three competitive seasons of the STPGA Junior Golf Program and covers support of Little Linksters, Junior Links, and Junior Tour events. Another major facet of the partnership includes the First Community Scholarship that is awarded annually through the PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program. “As we enter our third year of partnership, we are grateful for First Community’s unwavering support of junior golf in Southern Texas,” said Thomas Hutton, PGA, Executive Director of the STPGA. “Their involvement allows us to expand opportunities across all levels of our junior golf programs, support our section professionals, and continue to make an impact in our community.” In 2025, First Community and the STPGA expanded their involvement through the creation of the First Community STPGA Team and after a major success, the 2026 First Community STPGA Team is ready to go. The team is made up of PGA Professionals that qualify for the PGA Professional Championship, which will be held this year at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon from April 26-29. “Supporting the STPGA Junior Golf program and the First Community STPGA Team aligns perfectly with our mission of investing in the people and communities we serve,” said T.J. Tijerina, President/CEO of First Community. “We’ve seen immense benefits through our partnership with the STPGA and are excited to continue to make an impact.” The 2026 First Community Team will feature the following PGA Members. Full player biographies and team details will be released later this spring: Jesse Droemer, PGA Teaching Professional at Riverbend Country Club Jamie Fraser, PGA Head Professional at Darmor Club Bobby Gates, PGA Director of Instruction at Summit Golf School Greg Hiller, PGA Director of Instruction at TPC San Antonio Alan Hodde, PGA Director of Instruction at Axis Golf Academy Steve Jurgensen, PGA Teaching Professional at Westwood Golf Club Gilbert Mendez, PGA General Manager at Performance Golf Klub Casey Russell, PGA Director of Golf at Big Easy Ranch Robert Scott, PGA Teaching Professional at Royal Oaks Country Club J.T. Taylor, PGA Assistant Professional at Woodforest Golf Club The Southern Texas PGA is extremely grateful for the support of partners like First Community in how they support our members, and we look forward to another great year as partners! About PGA REACH Southern Texas In 1994, the Southern Texas PGA Foundation was created with the focus on getting more juniors to play golf. After a rebrand in 2019 to PGA REACH Southern Texas, the foundation’s mission has grown. We strive to positively impact the lives of youth, military, and diverse populations. This is accomplished by enabling access to PGA Professionals and the multitude of programs offered by PGA REACH Southern Texas. PGA REACH Southern Texas has 4 distinct pillars with multiple programs to demonstrate the impact of golf on individuals: Junior Golf – College Scholarships – Military Involvement – Employment Opportunities. About First Community: Founded in 1954 by Spring Branch ISD, First Community serves the diverse needs of over 179,000 members with a full array of financial services, 14 full services branches and on the strength of $2.9 billion in assets. First Community is federally insured by the NCUA and an equal housing opportunity lender. Their mission is to empower members so they can achieve their financial goals. First Community is open to anyone that lives, works, attends school or worships or is a part of a Select Employee Group (SEG) in the 41 Texas counties they serve ranging from Houston, DFW, Austin, and San Antonio, or is a relative or family member of an FCCU member or employee. To learn more about First Community, visit FCCU.org. Contact Information Thomas Hutton, PGA Executive Director Southern Texas PGA thutton@pgahq.com Amber Magee Senior Vice President/Marketing Director First Community Credit Union amber.magee@fccu.org


