Southern Texas PGA Crowns Two Champions at High Meadow Ranch

MAGNOLIA, TEXAS - The Southern Texas PGA has crowned two new champions for this year’s National Car Rental Southern Texas Assistant PGA Professional Championship and the Southern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship at High Meadow Ranch Golf Club on Monday, May 17 - Tuesday, May 18. Carlos Sainz Jr, Director of Instruction at the Clubs at Houston Oaks claimed the National Car Rental Southern Texas Assistant PGA Professional Championship title in a sudden-death playoff against KC Lim, Teaching Professional at The Bandit Golf Club. Sainz Jr. had back-to-back impressive rounds of 66 and 69 for a tournament total of 135 (-9) to win this Championship for the third straight year, earning him a spot in the 45th National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship.
“I feel like every month everyone is getting better, the scores are getting lower, and the competition is getting really high so you’re going to have to play really good golf to win tournaments,” said Sainz Jr. “Luckily I was able to do just enough at the end, KC [Lim] obviously played a great round today and it’s not getting any easier.”
Sainz Jr. capped off his two rounds with 11 birdies to capture the title. Justin Engel, PGA Assistant Professional at Shadow Hawk Golf Club finished one stroke behind Sainz Jr. and Lim at 136 (-8), securing the third qualifying spot to the national Championship.
The National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship brings together a field of contestants representing the PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections and all rounds will be played on the Wanamaker Course. A cut after 36-holes of play to the low 70 scorers and ties will be made. The national Championship, supported by Srixon, Cleveland Golf, XXIO, Asics and John Deere will be held at PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla on November 11-14, 2021.
Begun in 1977, the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship is modeled after the PGA Professional Championship, with a field of PGA Professionals and Associates who advanced through 41 Section Championships conducted from May through October this year.
If eligibility is met and maintained, the champion earns a berth in the 55th PGA Professional Championship to be conducted April 17-20, 2022, at OMNI Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas.
In the Southern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship, Jeff Strong, PGA Teaching Professional at The Deerwood Club of Kingwood claimed the championship title after a three-hole playoff against Tim Thelen, PGA Assistant Professional at Texas A&M Golf Club with a tournament total of 138 (-6). Strong, along with Thelen and Robert Thompson, PGA Teaching Professional at Whispering Pines Golf Club, who previously earned their exemptions into the 33rd Senior PGA Professional Championship, will lead six additional Section PGA Professionals to compete in the national Championship on October 21-24.
“This is my first individual win in the Section and it just means a lot to me,” said Strong. “I’m always playing against my buddies, which is hard, but playing in the playoff with Tim [Thelen] was relaxing because I know I’m pulling for him and he’s pulling for me.”
Billy Sitton, PGA Golf Executive at Triumph Golf LLC, Steve Parker, PGA Life Member and Carl Cooper, PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge at Newport finished three strokes behind Strong and Thelen at 141 (-3). Thelen, Sitton, Parker, Cooper, Strong and Thompson are joined by John Gibson, PGA Assistant Professional at Memorial Park Golf Course and John Martin, PGA Head Professional at Golfcrest Country Club for the qualifying spots into the Senior PGA Professional Championship.
The Senior PGA Professional Championship brings together a field of contestants representing the PGA of America’s 41 nationwide Sections. The first two rounds will be conducted on the Ryder and Wanamaker Courses. The first cut will be made after 36 holes of play to the low 90 scorers and ties. The second cut will be made after 54 holes of play to the low 70 scorers and ties. The final two rounds will be played on the Wanamaker Course.
To view the full results from the Assistant Championship, please click here.
To view the full results from the Senior Championship, please click here.
To view photos from the Assistant Championship, please click
here.
To view photos from the Senior Championship, please click here.






