Paris native Tanner Napier captures the 2024 Texas State Open in dramatic fashion

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) — The 2024 Texas State Open at Cascades Country Club came down to the 73rd hole.

Paris native Tanner Napier sunk a short birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Kyle Pritchard and capture the 54th M&P Group Texas State Open title.

Napier, who missed the cut at the Texas State Open in 2020 and finished tied for 47th in 2023, put it all together this week.

The 28-year-old opened this year’s Texas State Open with an 8-under 62 and held the lead after the second and third rounds.

Things got interesting late in the final round as eventual runner up Kyle Pritchard shot a 27 on the back nine to tie Napier after 72 holes.

Napier, who missed a birdie putt on 18 to win the tournament in regulation, bounced back on the first playoff hole, finishing with a birdie to beat Pritchard and the rest of the 156-player field to capture the title.

After the final putt dropped Friday, Napier reflected on what the win means to him and how he was able to come through in the clutch.

“It’s awesome. I think this is my third win I think in like 15 or 16 months so I’m really, really happy about that and this is obviously my biggest win. I mean this is a tournament you look at the names of past champions and it’s just really cool to see some of those guys so yeah it’s awesome to add my name there,” Napier said. “I’ve always, you know, knock on wood or whatever but I’ve always had a good record in playoffs ever since I was a little kid so I just kind of drew back on that and said, you know, ‘I’ve done this before’ and I was able to get it done.”

Napier took home the first-place prize of $40,000 and said he’ll take a few weeks off before competing in the final Men’s All Pro Tour event this season which is the Oklahoma Championship from Aug. 27-30.

He also said he’ll go through PGA Tour Qualifying School, also known as “Q-School,” this fall in hopes of qualifying to play on the Korn Ferry Tour.

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