Jurgensen and Hiller Battle it Out at the Southern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship!
(Left to Right) Greg Hiller, PGA and Steve Jurgensen, PGA
HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 23, 2024) - Steve Jurgensen, PGA claims the Southern Texas Senior PGA Professional Championship title, finishing with a total score of 67-71–138 at Bay Oaks Country Club.
In his first round, Jurgensen carded seven birdies to secure a three stroke lead with a 18-hole total of (-5) 67. Greg Hiller, PGA Director of Instruction at TPC San Antonio, sat just behind him at (-2) 70.
Hiller would take the lead by one stroke heading into the back nine of the final round. A fierce back and forth battle then ensued between Hiller and Jurgensen for the remainder of the day. Hiller would take a two-stroke lead early on the back nine, then a birdie on hole 13 followed by an eagle on hole 16 would give Jurgensen the lead going into the final hole.
A Jurgensen bogey on Hole 18 and a par from Hiller would move this Championship into a playoff. Hiller and Jurgensen would play Hole 18 three times before Steve would be crowned Champion.
"Greg played better than me today. I was tentative all day and I had one putt just to keep hanging on. I had no choice but to play something aggressive and, thankfully, I hit it well and it gave me an opportunity" said Jurgensen.
"Steve is a real steady player and I just tried to feed off of that. We both did our thing and it was great for me to go bogey-free in the final round just being able to play more relaxed" added Hiller.
Greg Hiller, PGA, will lead seven additional Southern Texas PGA Members to compete in the 36th Senior PGA Professional Championship on September 26-29 at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon. Joining Greg will be John Gibson, PGA Assistant Professional at Memorial Park Golf Course, Darrell Fuston, PGA Head Professional at Bay Oaks Country Club, Lonny Alexander, PGA Teaching Professional at Onion Creek Golf Club, and Chad Donegan, PGA General Manager at Landa Park Golf Course. Robert Thompson, PGA Teaching Professional at Whispering Pines Golf Club and Omar Uresti, PGA Life Member were already exempt into the Championship as Past Champions (Thompson in 2010 and Uresti in 2020, respectively) while Eric Bogar, PGA Assistant Professional at Golfcrest Country Club earned his exemption via making the 36-hole cut at the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
"I am just excited to going out there and playing good golf. I have played Sunriver [Resort] before so looking to go out there and play how I did today, steady and very few mistakes. Hopefully play well enough to earn the opportunity to play in the Senior PGA Championship" stated Hiller.
(Left to Right) Greg Hiller, PGA, Darrell Fuston, PGA, Lonny Alexander, PGA, and Chad Donegan, PGA
The Senior PGA Professional Championship is a four-day, 72-hole event for PGA of America Members, 50 years of age and older, from all 41 Sections nationwide. The low 35 finishers earn a berth in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The first cut will be made after 36-holes of play to the low 90 scores and ties. The second cut will be made after 54-holes of play to the low 70 scores and ties.
The Southern Texas PGA would like to thank Presenting Partner XXIO and Supporting Partners Golf Channel and PGA TOUR for their support of this year’s event, as well as Bay Oaks Country Club for hosting this year’s tournament.
To view results from the event, please click here.
To view photos from the event, please
click here.
