Sam Houston State University Scores Dominant Victory at 2023 PGA University Championship

November 15, 2023Greg Dillard

Philadelphia, Miss. (Nov. 15, 2023) – The wait is over for Sam Houston State University. Since its inception in 2005, the SHSU PGA Golf Management Program had been searching for its first win at the PGA University Championship.


SHSU posted its second 3-over par 291 of the week to finish at 6-over par 582 and capture its first win by 15 shots on Wednesday at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Philadelphia, Miss. 


“This has always been one of those things that we wanted to accomplish,” said SHSU PGA Golf Management Program Director Dr. Rich Ballinger, PGA. “To be able to get it done after 18 years, we’re pumped about it. It’s pretty cool that we can say we’re a PGA of America National Champion as it relates to students. It means a lot to be able to get our name on that trophy and to say that we have won a student championship and possess the Jones Cup.”


Penn State University (21-over par 597) finished in second, followed by Mississippi State University (24-over par 600) and UNLV (24-over par 600), who tied for third. Methodist University (26-over par 602) finished fifth. 


Bret Gray (6-under par 66), Josh German (1-under par 71), Grant Greathouse (4-over par 76) and Camden Anderson (6-over par 78) led the charge for the Bearkats. Tanner Dorsey also shot 10-over par 82 on Wednesday. 


“Bret was outstanding,” said Ballinger. “He played excellent golf. Josh played a solid round. Grant got off to a little bit of a rough start then steadied the ship, which was huge for us. Camden came through and played better than he did yesterday.” 


Gray followed his opening-round 5-under par 67 with a flawless final-round performance. The SHSU junior registered six birdies en route to a bogey-free 66 to claim the individual title.


Gray birdied the par-5, 548-yard second; par-4, 412-yard third; par-5, 571-yard fifth; par-4, 405-yard 12th; par-3, 176-yard 13th and par-3, 149-yard 16th holes. 

“Today it looked stress-free on the scorecard, but there were a couple holes where I saved par from some pretty tough spots,” said Gray. “I think I shortsighted myself once or twice today, but luckily my short game saved me. I made a couple good par putts and kept it bogey free.”


Florida Gulf Coast University’s Dan Polce (3-under par 141) took second place on the individual leaderboard after posting a 1-over par 73 on Wednesday. SHSU’s German (2-under par 142) was third followed by Mississippi State University’s Jacob Berry (1-under par 143). 

German, who started on the second hole, overcame a pair of front-nine bogeys by registering birdies on the par-4, 386-yard 11th; par-4, 405-yard 12th; and par-4, 385-yard first holes.


“I stayed patient and knew I would have opportunities on the back nine,” said German. “I took advantage when I could and slowly brought the round back under par. I knew that if I stayed steady, made some pars and found a birdie or two, that we would hold on and we did.”

SHSU outlasted the 16-team field to win the Jones Cup, named after the first PGA Golf Management University Program Director at Mississippi State, Dr. S. Roland Jones, who held the position from 1985 until his passing in 1997. 


To view the final results, please click here.

To view the photo gallery, please click here.

By Connor Murphy April 1, 2025
Spring, TX (April 1st, 2025) - Good Afternoon Players, Parents, & Family Friends, March was busy! 5, 36-hole championships in 5 different cities in only 30 days! More tournaments, more champions. More champions, more history. Let’s keep it rolling into April! Srixon Prestige Tour Champions - March As the weather began to warm up, our junior golfers followed suit. Beginning at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Golf Course for the Hill Country Open , Oliver Betschart, New Braunfels, TX, and Saahi Naraharasetty, Cedar Park, TX, claimed their first wins of 2025 with each of them breaking par through 36 holes. Moving a week later to the Spring Break Classic at The Club at Falcon Point, the hometown hero, Maddox Cleavinger, Katy, TX, claimed his first Prestige Tour victory by shooting a 144 (E) through 36 holes while Joann Bee, Spring, TX, claimed her third Prestige Tour victory since 2023. The week following, JP Lynch and Kanak Yadav, both from Austin, TX, proved that they mean business in 2025 by earning their third victories since 2024 at the EmmyEvan Shootout in the Hills at Lakecliff Golf Club. A few short days later, the Prestige Tour team headed across state lines into the beautiful, Lake Charles, Louisiana for the Visit Lake Charles Spring Classic ! Daniel Rice, Magnolia, TX, and Vivian Volion, Springfield, LA, walked into LC and walked away with hardware. Rounding out March, South Shore Harbour played host for the Veritex Bank Houston Junior Classic where Luke An, Houston, TX, and Carolyn Liu, Katy, TX, found a way to call themselves champions! Welcome to Team STPGA, Lora and Daniel, for the inaugural Bayou Cup! On March 23, the final day of the Visit Lake Charles Spring Classic, the STPGA welcomed the first two players to Team STPGA for the 2025 Bayou Cup against friendly rivals, Team LJGT ! Lora Kim, Katy, TX, found a way to prevail over the remaining eligible participants by carding a 72-75(+5). Daniel Rice, Magnolia, TX, not only won the championship itself, but his 69-72(-1) earned himself a spot to compete on Team STPGA alongside Kim this winter! Want to be a part of history? See below to find out how YOU can earn a spot to represent Team STPGA in the first ever Bayou Cup ! Boys 13-18 Exemptions Insperity Invitational Tour Championship at Champions Golf Club | July 21-22 Prestige Tour Open at Gleannloch Pines Golf Club | August 11-12 Vortech Contracting Championship at Rayburn Resort | September 6-7 Girls 13-18 Exemptions Insperity Invitational Tour Championship at Champions Golf Club | July 21-22 H-Town Showdown at BlackHorse Golf Club | August 23-24 Sun City Showdown at Legacy Hills Golf Club | September 27-28 Boys 13-14 Exemptions H-Town Showdown at BlackHorse Golf Club | August 23-24 Brackenridge Park Classic at Brackenridge Park Golf Course | September 13-14 Sun City Showdown at Legacy Hills Golf Club | September 27-28 Bay Forest Junior Championship at Bay Forest Golf Course | October 4-5 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. Thank you to EmmyEvan for their continued support of STPGA Junior Golf and for sponsoring the 2025 EmmyEvan Shootout in the Hills at Lakecliff Golf Club! Former junior golfer and current junior golfer, Emmy and Evan Tran, love this game so much they found a way to support junior golfers and their mission towards success! Thank you to the staff at Visit Lake Charles for welcoming the Srixon Prestige Tour team into the wonderful town of Lake Charles, LA, and for providing discounted hotel rates to those participating in the Visit Lake Charles Spring Classic! Lastly, thank you to the team at Veritex Bank for continuing their support of junior golf in 2025 for being the Title Partner of the Veritex Bank Houston Junior Classic! 2025 Summer Registration Opens TOMORROW Set your alarm clocks! TOMORROW, April 1st at 9:00 AM (CST), all Srixon Prestige Tour tournaments from May 28-29 through August 16-17 will OPEN for registration! Click b elow to view the Srixon Prestige Tour schedule.
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