Aidan Thomas stays positive to win his first NM-WT Am

After coming near profitable the New Mexico-West Texas Males’s Beginner Championship the previous two years, Aidan Thomas actually needed to come back out on high within the 2022 version.

Thomas, former St. Pius standout who performs golf for New Mexico State College, shot 2-under par-70 within the ultimate spherical to complete 14-under 202, profitable the NM-WT Am Championship by two strokes Sunday at Painted Dunes Desert Golf Course in El Paso. (RESULTS)

“I used to be telling the fellows, I felt like I acquired the monkey off my again for the match,” stated Thomas, 21, who might be a senior for the Aggies with two years of eligibility remaining with an additional 12 months granted by the NCAA as a result of coronavirus-shortened season in 2020. “I tied for fourth two years in the past and runner-up with Sam Choi final 12 months. I actually needed to win this one to place my title on the trophy and be with a bunch of nice golfers.”

Thomas, who shot 2-under on Saturday, led wire to wire after a sensational, bogey-free 10-under 62 within the opening spherical on Friday. That gave him a two-shot lead heading into the second spherical.

“It’s been a grind to attempt to stability work and golf,” stated Thomas, who works at Las Campanas in Santa Fe. “So the primary spherical gave me confidence for the remainder of the match.”

Simon Miller, the 2019 Albuquerque Males’s Metropolis champion, completed second at 12-under 204 (67-67-70).

Gustavo Morantes, a College of New Mexico males’s golf assistant coach, shot 11-under 205 (67-67-71) to complete third.

Javi Delgadillo, an El Paso Eastwood Excessive product who might be an incoming freshman at NMSU, shot 9-under 207 (64-72-71) to tie for fourth with Damon Vilkauskas, who might be a junior at UTEP.

Delgadillo was two pictures again of Thomas after the primary spherical, and Miller and Morantes trailed Thomas by two pictures getting into the ultimate spherical.

“The ultimate spherical was tense,” Thomas stated. “I used to be not hitting too good. However my brief sport saved me and stored me in it. I used to be lucky sufficient to come back out with the victory as a result of I used to be actually combating my swing. … The primary day undoubtedly helped, however I believe it was my mentality (on Sunday). I simply by no means actually acquired mad at myself. I stayed optimistic. I simply moved ahead.”

Thomas stated he’ll subsequent play within the U.S. Beginner Qualifier at his residence course, the NMSU Golf Course in Las Cruces, in a 36-hole occasion on July 13. He’ll be vying to succeed in the occasion on the Ridgewood Nation Membership and Arcola Nation Membership in Paramus, New Jersey Aug. 15-21.

“I’m feeling fairly good,” Thomas stated. “This win goes to spice up my confidence going ahead and I’ve a very good shot of qualifying this 12 months.”