Johnson fires bogey-free 63 to win South Central PGA Professional Championship

Complete results:

By Ken MacLeod

Jett Johnson, head professional at Quail Creek Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City, overwhelmed the difficult Tulsa Country Club in the final round Tuesday afternoon with a 7-under 63 to come from behind to win the South Central PGA Professional Championship.

Johnson, son of long-time PGA professional Johnny Johnson of Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course in Norman, consistently bombed his drives in the 330-yard range and also displayed a deft touch with wedges and putting in his seven-birdie, no-bogey final-round effort. He finished at 5-under overall for the 54-hole event, three shots clear of Tracy Phillips of Tulsa, who closed with the day’s second-best round of 3-under 67.

The top six in the field qualify for the 2024 PGA Professional Championship April 28-May 1 at Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco and the top 20 at that event will earn a spot in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.

“That’s the ultimate goal,” said Johnson, who was competing in the section event for the first time since earning his Class A membership. “It’s great that we have this avenue to try to earn a spot in a major championship.”

Johnson made four birdies on the front nine, including hitting a 4-iron on the 218-yard par-3 ninth hole to about 12 feet. He birdied holes 13, 16 and 17 on the back nine. Overall he hit 15 greens in regulation and only missed three fairways.

Phillips, after a 3-under start through eight holes, had to use all of his magical short game to stay there after making the turn, missing the first five greens on the back nine but getting up-and-down from a variety of difficult lies on all of them. He birdied the par-5 16th to pull to 4-under but suffered his lone bogey on the par-4 18th after missing the green left.

Also qualifying were Austin Peters of The Territory and Tim Fleming of Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, who tied for third at 1-over, as well Cameron Chhim of Southern Hills Country Club at 5-over and Bobby Jacks of Wichita Country Club at 6-over.

Johnson, whose younger brother Thomas played at the University of Oklahoma and recently took a job as a club professional at Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City, played his college golf at Oklahoma City University, graduating in 2016. He went into the final round at 1-over after rounds of 73 Monday and 69 Tuesday morning. His final round was the best of the day by four shots and no one else in the field except Phillips shot better than a 1-over 71.

“Jett played some great golf,” said Phillips. “I didn’t putt well all three rounds but I also didn’t give myself enough chances on the back nine today.”