Strong and Thelen go low at 2023 Pro-Pro Championship

Southern Texas PGA • March 14, 2023

HOCKLEY, TEXAS (March 14, 2023) – After a fierce two days of competition, Jeff Strong, PGA Life Member and Tim Thelen, PGA Assistant Professional at Texas A&M Golf Course came out on top of the 2023 Pro-Pro Championship with a final score of (-16) 126. With this victory, Strong and Thelen will take home a check for $5,500.


“The last two days, I don’t think anyone in the field read the putts better than we did,” said Thelen. “If we hit our line where we thought it would be, the putts dropped.”


Heading into the final round, Strong and Thelen held a one stroke lead over three groups tied for second place and four groups tied for fifth. Despite sharing the lead for a few holes during Round Two with Darek Franklin, PGA Assistant Professional at Austin Golf Club and Marc Gerst, Assistant Professional at University of Texas Golf Club, and John Gibson, PGA at Memorial Park Golf Course and Dawson Kipniss, PGA Assistant Professional at Pine Forest Country Club, Strong and Thelen were able to hold on through the 36-holes with an impressive 17 birdies.


“We needed an up and down on [hole] 18 to come out on top with a 20 footer after pitching it onto the green,” said Strong. “Tim gave me a great read and I hit it right on that line and the putt did exactly what it was supposed to do.”


Gibson and Kipniss claimed their second-place finish after a battle in the final round, wrapping up the event with a 36-hole team total of (-15) 127.


This event was hosted at The Clubs of Houston Oaks. Ranked #2 in Texas by Dallas Morning News, they are known for their over 200-year-old oak trees dispersed throughout the course.


The Pro-Pro Championship was contested over 36-holes featuring a scramble format in Round One and Four-Ball stroke play for Round Two. The event featured 41 teams of PGA Professionals from the Southern Texas Section competed on the 6,758-yard course at The Clubs of Houston Oaks. This year’s tournament was presented by Boxto Golf, Callaway, Evolve Golf, Lorente Golf, Next Round, Perry Weather, Swannies Golf and TPC Industrial. 


To view the full results from today’s tournament, please click here.
To view photos from today’s event, please click
here.

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