New Mexico is home to more than 100 golf courses and professional golfers are teeing up.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s tee time for the New Mexico Open, and this year’s swing is turning heads.
The New Mexico Open is being hosted at Turtleback Mountain Golf Course this year in partnership with the Sun Country PGA Section. It’s gaining national recognition because of the high dollar purse, which is the total amount of prize money up for grabs.
If you look at the Top 10 PGA Section Tournaments, you’ll find the New Mexico Open listed with their purse of over $100,000, beating out several “major golf states” like Texas and California.
“What we’ve been able to do is have $100,000 in the purse that’s going to attract a lot of attention,” said New Mexico Open director John “Gibby” Gibson. “Also, having the sun country PGA as a great partner in the journey has been wonderful.”
“I’m seeing a dedicated staff and investors down there that are really putting their money out and wanting to showcase what we have down at Truth or Consequences and Elephant Butte,” said Todd Kersting, a PGA Pro at Puerto Del Sol Golf Course in Albuquerque.
That investment is paying off as the high prize and incredible views are drawing in notable names in golf, including four-time PGA Tour Champion, NBC Sports/Golf Channel Analyst and New Mexico Native, Notah Begay III.
“I think when people come here, what they’re really going to go away with is just the great hospitality that we have here in the state of New Mexico,” said Begay. “We’re very proud of hosting these events. This championship means a lot to the section, but also the quality of the venue.”
“Whoever wins this year or finishes in the top five, you’re going to hear their name down the road on the PGA Tour,” said Kersting.
With good weather, great people and top of the line golf courses throughout the Land of Enchantment, this first trip to New Mexico likely won’t be the last for these golfers.
“The pros are going to be noticing how good our courses are around our state, and they’re going to come for other events. So it’s just only going to grow,” said Kersting. “We’re starting to kind of float to the top for people to come play our courses, or come live here and enjoy the courses, because we’re kind of like a best kept secret.”
The tournament continues with day two on Tuesday, Sept. 16 and the finalists will put their best swing forward in the championship round on Wednesday.
For golf fans who would like to watch the tournament, live coverage can be found on Turtleback Mountain Golf Course’s Facebook page.
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