Record purse attracts large field for 54-hole New Mexico Open

ELEPHANT BUTTE — A star-studded field and a record purse are set for the 72nd playing of the New Mexico Open, opening Monday at Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort.

The 54-hole championship, presented by New Mexico True and administered by the Sun Country Golf House, features 140 confirmed players competing for a tournament-record $137,000 professional purse. The winner will take home $30,000 — a 50% increase over last year’s top payout of $20,000.

Overall prize money is up from $100,000 in 2025.

“To have what may be the strongest field we’ve ever had competing for the largest purse in tournament history says a lot about where the New Mexico Open is today,” said Cory Armstrong, executive director of Sun Country Golf House.

Leading the headline act are three players with a combined 10 PGA Tour victories including four-time PGA Tour winner Sean O’Hair, and two-time winner Matt Every, who captured back-to-back victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2014 and 2015.

Defending champion Aidan Thomas also returns to Elephant Butte. The former New Mexico State star won the 2025 championship in his professional debut and has since earned conditional PGA Tour Americas status.

The diverse 140-player field also features Travis Vick, low amateur at the 2022 U.S. Open and NCAA champion with the University of Texas, as well as Jin Jeong, 2010 Amateur Championship winner and low amateur at the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews.

Asian Tour winner Trevor Simsby, PGA Tour veteran Shawn Stefani and four-time long drive champ Maurice Allen are also scheduled to compete in the New Mexico Open which will run through Wednesday.

Spectator admission is free at Turtleback Mountain Golf & Resort throughout all three rounds. The The tournament will stream free online via YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The tournament will also be shown via regional broadcasts on KRQE.