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Monday, September 16, 2019
Page #8
Shane Pearce Captures Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank Section Championship AMARILLO, TX – On the first hole of a sudden death playoff against Nic Ishee, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, Shane Pearce, PGA head professional at Hurricane Creek Country Club, captured the Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank Section Championship when he made a 3foot birdie putt on the par 5, 18th hole. Pearce held a two-stroke lead heading into today’s final round but got off to a shaky start carding four consecutive bogeys on holes 3-6. He then managed one birdie on #16, and that was enough to force a playoff with Ishee who carded a 2under for the day and tournament. Pearce finished with round totals of 66-74–140 to claim his first Northern Texas PGA individual major championship.
$4,800 for his victory, but even more important is the exemption that he earned into the 2020 AT&T Byron Nelson. “I’m excited but also horrified,” Pearce said about the exemption. “Back in 2012 when I went to QSchool I probably would have had some different emotions about that, probably would have felt more prepared, but I’m looking forward to it. It’s always been a dream to play on the PGA TOUR.”
The Section Championship also included a Senior Division that was comprised of 23 professionals aged 50 and older who elected to compete for a separate $14,200 purse and played from a modified yardage. Stuart Hendley, PGA director of instruction at Dallas "It was tough not seeing the course Athletic Club, completed a threebefore. I didn’t get to play here in peat as the Section Championship 2015. I wasn’t a Class A Member Senior Division champion. He yet. I got here on Sunday and came finished the tournament at 3-underout to hit a few balls and drive the par with rounds of 70-69—139 to course, but I didn’t actually play a capture his third consecutive practice round. It’s kind of weird, Section Championship Senior my dad and I joked after the first Division win. He took home a round that I tend to play courses check for $2,250. better when I don’t have a practice round,” Pearce stated after “It’s fun winning. Our Section is clinching the win. “This is a super big, so winning is nice, and this special [win], it’s definitely locks up the Points [Challenge something I’ve always wanted, but Standings] for me which is always I never thought I’d get here. I’m the goal,” Hendley said after just following in the footsteps of today’s win. “When I lived in West everyone that’s won this before, all Texas, I played this course quite a the people I’ve always looked up bit, and I really like it. It’s one of to. That’s more special to me than my favorite courses in West Texas. the actual win, just following along You really have to control your in their footsteps.” ball, though, so I focused on getting the ball in the fairway to control Pearce took home a check for where I was going on the green. I
Shane Pearce, PGA head professional at Hurricane Creek Country Club. Courtesy photo. also putted really well, which is great because these greens are really difficult.”
The Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank Section Championship was the fourth and final individual stroke play major championship of the 2019 season to The Joyce Crane / Veritex Bank earn points towards the Yamaha Section Championship, presented Golf-Car Company & Srixon / by AT&T Byron Nelson, Ewing Cleveland Golf / XXIO Player of the Automotive Group, GT Golf Year Points Challenge presented by Supplies, PGA TOUR, Sterling Adventures In Golf & Green Garden Cut Glass, and Technogym, was Gold. The Eastern Championship, conducted at Amarillo Country Western Championship, NTPGA Club, a 6,937-yard, par 71 course Professional Championship and located in Amarillo, Texas. The Section Championship all served as overall purse for the event was a qualifiers for the year-end Yamaha record $52,500. The Open Golf-Car Company & Srixon / Division field consisted of 62 Cleveland Golf / XXIO Match Play PGA professionals from the Championship. The Player of the Northern Texas Section of the Year Points Challenge also served as PGA of America who competed qualifying for the 2019 NTPGA for an Open Division purse of Texas Joe Black Cup and Levy Cup $38,300. teams.
