The 71st Annual 2025 Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort New Mexico Open will be remembered as one of the most remarkable chapters in the tournament’s history. With a record-setting $100,000 purse, placing it in the top 10 of all PGA Section tournaments nationwide, the championship drew the largest field ever with 146 players, including professionals from the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Americas and PGA of America professionals. The week also delivered two unprecedented firsts: the first four-day, 24-hour Facebook Live broadcast of a PGA Section tournament, and what may be the first time in professional golf history that two players aced the same hole on the same day in the same event. Capping it all, 23-year-old New Mexican Aidan Thomas claimed victory in his professional debut.
Aidan Thomas’ Breakout Moment
For Thomas, the stage could not have been brighter. Facing a field that included four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay III, two-time PGA Tour champion Matt Every, Korn Ferry Tour professional A.J. Crouch and former PGA Tour player Todd Demsey, Thomas showed the poise of a seasoned pro. He outlasted 146 professionals and amateurs across three days to secure the title, a winner’s check for $20,000 and a place in New Mexico golf history. The remaining $80,000 in the purse was divided among the other players who advanced to the finals, rewarding their strong performances in the championship rounds.
“This was my first professional tournament, and to win against such a talented field is beyond what I imagined,” Thomas said. His triumph instantly positioned him as one of the region’s rising stars to watch.
During the final round, Devin Miertschin from El Paso, TX, and PGA Tour Americas player Jhared Hack from Homestead, FL, each recorded a hole-in-one on the same hole on the same day. It marked what may be the first time in professional golf history that two players aced the same hole on the same day in the same event.
A Championship Reimagined
The 2025 Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort New Mexico Open did more than deliver a champion and a bag full of superlatives. It redefined what a state open can be, blending elite competition with cutting-edge production and an atmosphere that resonated with players, fans and sponsors alike.
For the first time in PGA Section history, the entire tournament was streamed on Facebook Live from Sept. 14 through Sept. 17. Coverage totaled 24 hours, with six hours of live broadcasting each day, beginning with the Pro-Am and carrying through the championship rounds. The broadcast included multiple on-course cameras, drones, aerial footage, live commentary, behind-the-scenes access, player highlights, sponsor features and cinematic views of Sierra County, New Mexico.
Anchoring the broadcast were Associated Press award-winning journalist Ian Roth and ESPN Radio Albuquerque (101.7 The Team) anchors Joe O’Neill and Robert Purdy. Guest host Notah Begay III appeared throughout key segments of the stream, and first-time color commentator James Prendamano Jr. made his debut in the booth.
The four-day broadcast was produced with a level of quality and scope usually reserved for national tour events, setting a new standard for sectional championships. Viewers were treated to a total of 24 hours of coverage, a first in professional golf.
More than 20 sponsors and media partners simulcast the feed across their Facebook pages, websites and other social platforms. According to Meta analytics, the broadcast and its promotional content reached more than six million people worldwide during the four-day period.
In addition to the four days of Facebook Live coverage, the Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort New Mexico Open public relations program had secured 47 television news stories, multiple radio segments, and more than 100 print, online and social media stories across regional and national outlets as of the day after the championship, likely the most coverage of any recent PGA Section tournament.
“A Facebook Live streaming broadcast and media relations effort of this scale had never been done before for a PGA sectional tournament,” said Patrick Pharris, executive director of corporate communications and public relations of PreReal Investments and executive producer of the Facebook Live broadcast. “The idea was to bring the feel of a large tour broadcast to the New Mexico Open and to give fans everywhere the opportunity to watch from their homes or devices. We wanted to showcase the caliber of players competing this year while also highlighting Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort, the beauty of Sierra County and the excitement of the event itself. That visibility helps build awareness among golf enthusiasts worldwide and will inspire even more players and fans to experience the New Mexico Open in the years ahead.”
Expanding the Audience with KTSM+
Building on that vision, the PR team secured a strategic partnership with KTSM+, the free streaming app from KTSM 9 News, the NBC affiliate serving El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. KTSM+ streamed the entire Facebook Live program and posted newsworthy segments on its social channels.
The KTSM+ app offers live newscasts, video-on-demand and original local programming, available on major platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and select Samsung Smart TVs.
Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the largest local media company in the United States, KTSM+ was able to connect the New Mexico Open broadcast to a broader audience across regional and national markets. Nexstar owns more than 200 television stations and digital assets in 116 U.S. markets, as well as the CW Network, the national news network NewsNation, and digital properties including The Hill. Its reach into American households underscores the viability of the New Mexico Open and its Facebook Live program as content with national potential, thanks to the caliber of players in the field, the resort destination, and the innovative broadcast production.
A Vision for the Future
The New Mexico Open’s new home at Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort has quickly become synonymous with ambition and innovation. With 1,300 planned home sites, a new hotel, luxury amenities, sweeping desert views, and a wide range of natural attractions and outdoor adventures nearby the resort is positioning itself as one of the Southwest’s premier golf destinations.
On March 25, 2025, the governor of New Mexico, the Sierra County Commission and the mayor of Elephant Butte jointly declared “Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort Day,” underscoring its growing cultural and economic impact.
Volunteer slots filled within days, with locals eager to be part of the action. Their 1,700 collective hours underlined how much the tournament has captured the imagination of Sierra County. The championship also raised $11,000 for the Sun Country Golf Foundation, which supports programs for youth, military and inclusion across New Mexico and West Texas.
James Prendamano, CEO of PreReal Investments and co-owner of Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort, reflected on what the tournament means to the region. “The New Mexico Open shines a national spotlight on Sierra County at a time when our local economy is growing by leaps and bounds. This is a community where world-class golf is played alongside the incredible assets of Spaceport America, Elephant Butte Lake, Turner Environmental Tourism, hunting and fishing grounds, hiking trails and copper mining operations. What makes it even more meaningful is the way our community has come together with a shared vision and shared support for an enhanced lifestyle. The tournament is part of a much larger story about opportunity, growth and momentum in southern New Mexico, and we are proud to showcase it to the world.”
A Tournament That Redefined the State Open
From Thomas’ breakthrough win to what may be the first time in professional golf history that two players aced the same hole on the same day in the same event, from record-setting purses to the four-day Facebook Live broadcast that reached millions of viewers, the 2025 Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort New Mexico Open elevated the standard for sectional championships across the United States. It was proof of how tradition and innovation can come together to create history.
“This is what golf should feel like,” said Dan Fletcher, chief marketing officer and head of special projects o of PreReal Investments and Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort. “It is competition, connection and culture all in one spectacular setting. The support of 33 national, regional and local sponsors made this year’s New Mexico Open possible at a level never seen before. Their commitment elevated the experience for players, spectators and online audiences, and it sets the stage for even more partners to join us in the future with larger on-site activations that will expand the overall impact of the tournament.”
And this is only the beginning. The 2025 championship marked the first year of a three-year naming rights and host golf course agreement for Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort. If the vision and execution of the debut year are any indication, the next two years promise to be nothing short of spectacular, building on the momentum of a tournament that has already redefined what a state open can be.
