$210,500 in College Scholarships Awarded through PGA REACH Southern Texas

May 16, 2023 • Southern Texas PGA

The STPGA and its partners continue to break records as the annual awarded amount has increased annually for the last five years! 


SPRING, TEXAS – The PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program is excited to announce the awarding of 42 scholarships amounting to $210,500 to 39 individuals today! This amount is an increase of $42,500 compared to last year! The funds will help these 39 young adults continue their academic career during the 2023-2024 school year! 


“This scholarship is going to be a great help for me and my future in college,” said Armond Walker, recipient of the Jim Murphy Scholarship. “I’d like to thank the STPGA for providing everything they have for me, not only with this scholarship, but also all of the tournaments I have played in. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. I will forever be grateful for them.”


Since 1999, the PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program has awarded more than 465 scholarships and over $1,691,000 to young adults seeking higher education. Scholarships are given to graduating high school seniors and current college students who demonstrate high levels of achievement and outstanding character.


“Reaching another record high amount for scholarships shows how supportive our Southern Texas golf community is in impacting these young adults’ lives,” said Thomas Hutton, Executive Director of the STPGA. “We can’t thank our trustees enough for their continued support of this program.” 


The STPGA would like to specifically recognize the Hannon Cup Association for their $90,000 investment this year which yielded 14 scholarships at a variety of levels. Lead by PGA Members Steve Termeer and Brent Buckman, this Association continues to push the envelope with community involvement and the overall need to help young men and women achieve their academic goals. 


In partnership with the Hannon Cup Association, the STPGA will be holding a special Scholarship Luncheon later this summer to recognize these winners, and allow for interaction with trustees, and share the impact these scholarships have on the winners and the families. 


We also want to thank PGA Member, Charlie Epps and Insperity who awarded $40,000 in scholarships this year as well as Energy Transfer and the Energy Transfer Texas Senior Open for their $21,000 investment. 


Each scholarship name listed below helps continue a tradition of giving back and honoring an individual or organization that believes in the next generation! Scholarships positively impact lives with each scholarship ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. 


“The STPGA would like to thank everyone listed below that supports these scholarships,” said Bryan Minnick, PGA Professional and President of the Southern Texas PGA. “From PGA Members to junior golf parents to families of legendary PGA Professionals, this is a day that is always so special for the STPGA and we cannot thank the community and trustees enough.” 


The 2023 scholarship recipients are listed below. For more information about the PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Program, please click here.


 

2023 PGA REACH Southern Texas Scholarship Recipients

Bill Sitton Sr.


Ty Roberts

The Alabama State University


Irissa Machetta

Harvard University


Charlie Epps


Holden Kittelberger

Tufts University


Hannah Newell

LeTourneau University


Braeden Hoyt

Rice University


Maggie Ni

University of Pennsylvania


Quade Woods

Concordia University


Kyle Mahan

Western New Mexico University


Ryan Montoya

OUAZ (Ottawa University Surprise)


Dick Harmon


Aiden Marlow

Trinity University


Kendall Jackson

Howard University


Eddie Burke Sr.


Audrey Delgado

Texas A&M University


Energy Transfer


Ethan Miller

Lee College


Cayden Miller

Doane University


Jack Sledge

Howard Payne University


Kaitlyn Jetter

Chamberlain University - Houston


Hailey Hidalgo

Sam Houston State University


Aaron Lopez

University of Texas - San Antonio


Etrinity Stidam

Texas State University


George Hannon


Marlo Zamora

Trinity University


Emma von Hoffmann

Georgia Southern University

Emily Garza

Texas A&M University


Lauren Townsend

University of Texas - Dallas


Chase Sadler

University of Texas - San Antonio


Ella Gomillion

The University of Tennessee


Julian Vintimilla

Trinity University


Breanna Hoese

Longwood University


Savannah Dupre

St. Mary’s University


Esteban Gonzalez

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley


Kaldon Roensch

Sam Houston State University


Meredith Speer

Sam Houston State University


Abigail McNeil

Southeastern University


Jake Bialek

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill


Hardy Loudermilk


Macie Hildebrand

University of Texas


Hill Country MGA


Lilly Nesrsta

Texas A&M University


Jay Hebert


Esteban Gonzalez

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley


Jim Murphy


Armond Walker

Texas A&M International University


JL Lewis


Abigail McNeil

Southeastern University


Kaldon Roensch

Sam Houston State University


Olivia Anderson

Queens University of Charlotte


Rayana Lopez

Texas A&M University - Kingsville


John & Ginny Termeer


Jacqueline Springs

Texas Lutheran University

PGA REACH Southern Texas: 2025 Impact Report

By Sarah Lummus • December 19, 2025
At PGA REACH Southern Texas, golf is more than a game—it is a vehicle for opportunity, connection, and lasting impact. Guided by a commitment to serve our community, we work to strengthen our Foundation while bringing greater visibility to the life-changing stories behind our four core pillars: Junior Golf, College Scholarships, PGA HOPE, and Employment Opportunities. Together, these pillars reflect our mission to inspire the next generation, support educational achievement, empower military Veterans, and open doors to meaningful careers within the golf industry. We are proud to share our 2025 Impact Report, which captures the progress, growth, and momentum of the past year. Inside, you’ll find the milestones made possible through collaboration, generosity, and a shared belief in the power of golf to do good. As we continue to broaden our reach and deepen our impact, we invite you to celebrate the individuals, partnerships, and stories that define PGA REACH Southern Texas—and the lives forever changed along the way. And lastly, thank you. Thank you for your support and belief in what we are doing.

2026 Srixon Prestige Tour Updates

By Southern Texas PGA • December 15, 2025
Good Afternoon Players, Parents, & Family Friends, First and foremost, thank you to all the players and parents who made 2025 an unforgettable year! With 40 action-packed events, more than 1,200 competitors, an epic Tour Championship, and two thrilling Ryder Cup–style showdowns, this season truly made history. 2025 was one for the books! With 2026 on the horizon, we wanted to share with you all the changes that will be coming to the Srixon Prestige Tour. Registration Dates When registration opens it will work a little differently in 2026. All events for a given month will open two months prior, at 9am on the first Tuesday of the month. For example, all events for March will open on January 6th at 9am. Cancellation Policy Cancellations for events will work differently as well. Each event will now have two deadlines. The first will be 12 prior to the First Round of the event. Those who cancel on, or before the first deadline, will be charged a $15 cancellation. The second deadline will be 5 days prior to the First Round. Those who cancel between the first and second deadline will be charged a $50 cancellation. For players who register after the first deadline and cancel before the second deadline, they will only be charged a $15 cancellation fee. As a reminder, all refunds will be in the form of credit to that individual player's account. Division Changes We will have some changes to our Age Divisions in 2026. First, our divisions will be expanding from 13-18, to 11-18. The division split will now be 11-14, and 15-18. Secondly, the Boys 11-14 division will be playing from a new yardage. Starting with the Prestige Tour Premiere on January 17-18, Boys 11-14 will be playing from 6,200-6,500 yards. Boys 15-18 will remain at their current yardage of 6,660-6,900, and both Girls 11-14 and 15-18 will remain at 5,600-5,900. Should a Boy in the 11-14 division wish to compete in the 15-18 division and play from the respective yardage, click here to fill out the Division Advancement Request Form. The form must be filled out prior to the registration deadline of the first event the player wishes to play up. Once a player plays up into the older division three times, they must remain in that division for the remainder of the year. Entry Procedures & Field Sizes Along with the altered divisions, the entry procedures into a given tournament have changed. Entry will now be first come, first served based on division. Once a given division has reached capacity, remaining players will be placed on the waiting list. In the event that the event is not full, and the first cancellation has passed, the remaining spots will be filled by the waiting list, regardless of division, on a first come first served basis. These changes were made to maximize the chances for each division to meet the AJGA PBE minimum field requirements. Attached below is the field allocation by division chart based on total field size. 

Staff Spotlight featuring Junior Golf Coordinator, Claire Calabro

By Jeff Giedd • December 4, 2025
The STPGA is excited to introduce our new Junior Golf Coordinator, Claire Calabro. We are thrilled to have her on board the team and are eager to see her grow the game for our junior golfers! Here's a little more about her:

Srixon Prestige Tour Remarks - December 2025

By Southern Texas PGA • December 2, 2025
Good Afternoon, Players, Parents, & Family Friends, 11 incredible months have passed - it’s time to finish this year on a high note! Srixon Prestige Tour Champions - November November kicked off at Forest Creek Golf Club for The Round Rock Cup, where Cole Gailys of Austin, TX shined with back-to-back under-par rounds to capture his first Prestige Tour victory. In the Girls Division, Rachel Turk of Austin, TX delivered the weekend’s lone even-par round, sealing her first Srixon Prestige Tour title of 2025 in impressive fashion. From there, the Srixon Prestige Tour headed east just across state lines for the Visit Lake Charles Fall Classic at Mallard Golf Club in Lake Charles, LA. Joshua Szynski of New Braunfels, TX battled steady winds to notch his first career Srixon Prestige Tour win, finishing +1 after carding a birdie on the 36th hole of the tournament. Meanwhile, Caileigh Royer of Mont Belvieu, TX took her Round 1 lead into Round 2 where she would then claim her second Srixon Prestige Tour win of 2025. The month wrapped up with not one, not two, but THREE Championships taking place just before Thanksgiving! Beginning just north of Houston, Joanna Kim of Langley, British Columbia and Jackson Tennant of Austin, TX walked away as The Gobbler Cup Champions at Elkins Lake Country Club. Next, we look at the history made in San Antonio for the 2nd Abraham Ancer Classic at Oak Hills Country Club where Gavin Swearengin of San Antonio, TX takes home his first title and Aly Esparza of Laredo, TX claims her second Championship of 2025. Last but not least, Blane Arnim of Katy, TX & Sophia Liu of Sugar Land, TX found a way to enter the holiday season on a high note from their excellent play at Bay Oaks Country Club. New Cancellation Process for the Srixon Prestige Tour Beginning in 2026, a few changes will be implemented to the cancellation process for Srixon Prestige Tour Championships. These updates are designed to provide greater clarity and help players and families plan ahead with confidence. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the upcoming changes — along with an example of what to expect — so you can be better prepared for the 2026 year. First cancellation wave deadline is 12 days prior to Round 1 Players are charged a $15 cancellation fee with the remaining credits being applied to the junior golfer’s account Ex: Round 1 is January 17, the first cancellation wave deadline is January 5th at 11:59 PM Second cancellation wave deadline is 5 days prior to Round 1 Players are charged a $50 cancellation fee with the remaining credits being applied to the junior golfer’s account Ex. Round 1 is January 17, second wave deadline is January 12th at 11:59 PM 2026 Registration Dates for the Srixon Prestige Tour & 2026 Important Dates Below is a list of dates we wanted to share with you to ensure a smooth transition into the new year. December 2nd - Srixon Prestige Tour (January - May) Schedule will be Viewable December 16th - January & February Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration January 6th - March Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration February 3rd - April Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration March 3rd - May Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration April 7th - June Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration May 5th - July Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration June 2nd - August Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration July 7th - September Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration August 4th - October Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration September 1st - November Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration October 6th - December Prestige Tour tournaments Open for Registration Click here to view our STPGA Junior Golf Important Dates webpage to see other program’s important dates. Thank You to our Sponsors! For the seventh consecutive year, Srixon is returning as the sole Prestige Tour Title Partner for the 2025 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. Another thank you to the Visit Lake Charles team for their continued support of STPGA Junior Golf and for welcoming many families to town for the Visit Lake Charles Fall Classic!
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