Funkhouser cruises to seven-shot win in New Mexico Open

ELEPHANT BUTTE – Jackson Funkhouser overcame a shaky start Wednesday to run away with the New Mexico Open at Turtleback Mountain Golf Course.

The amateur from College Station, Texas, closed with a 5-under-par 67 to finish at 23-under 193, securing a seven-stroke victory. After making the turn at 1-over 37 with bogeys on Nos. 2 and 7 — his only over-par nine of the tournament — Funkhouser roared back on the home stretch with a back-nine 30.

“I’ve had leads before and given them away,” Funkhouser said, noting his frustration with his front-nine play. “I knew I had a good lead, but I still wanted to go shoot 29 on the back.”

He birdied the 10th hole, tore off four consecutive birdies from Nos. 12 through 15, and capped his round with a birdie at the 18th. Funkhouser finished the 54-hole event with 24 birdies against just five bogeys. His second-round 61 on Tuesday stood as the lowest round of the championship by three shots.

FINAL1, Jackson Funkhouser (a), -232, Ryan Sullivan, -16T3, Blake Tomlinson, -14T3, Aidan Thomas, -14T5, Holden Wisener, -13T5, Carson Lundell, -13T5, Max Chan (a), -13T8, Dylan Healey, -12T8, Wil Collins, -12T10, TK Kim, -11T10, Xavier Bighaus, -11T10, Brian Stark, -11T10, Mitchell Schow, -11(a) indicates amateur

Because Funkhouser maintains his amateur status, runner-up Ryan Sullivan of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, claimed the $30,000 first-place payout as top professional. Sullivan posted rounds of 67, 66, and 67 to finish second at 16-under 200, two strokes clear of the field behind him.

Defending champion Aidan Thomas of Bernalillo surged late with a final-nine 30 — featuring five birdies and an eagle — to post a 67. Thomas tied for third at 14-under 199 alongside Blake Tomlinson (66) of Salt Lake City. Thomas’ total was three shots lower than his winning score from 2025, when Funkhouser missed the cut.

Several players posted highlight-reel rounds on Wednesday:

Xavier Bighaus (Willis, Texas) carded the low round of the final day with a 65, highlighted by three consecutive eagles on Nos. 8, 9, and 10. He tied for 10th at 11-under alongside TK Kim — who also recorded three eagles in his final-round 66 — Brian Stark, and Mitchell Schow.

Carson Lundell (Alpine, Utah) aced the par-3 13th hole en route to a 69, joining Dylan Healey (Tuesday, No. 17) as the second player to record a hole-in-one this week. Lundell tied for fifth at 13-under with Holden Wisener (67) and amateur Max Chan (69).

For Funkhouser, the victory was made sweeter by the support of his former New Mexico State University teammates, who tracked his final round from outside the ropes.

“Standing on the 18th tee, looking at the pin, I could see them off in the distance,” Funkhouser said. “It was really cool to have them out here.”

Funkhouser plans to continue his collegiate career and remains optimistic about the future for New Mexico State over the next couple of years.