SOCORRO, N.M. (July 29, 2018) – Aidan Thomas was the sixth-best player in stroke play, but on Sunday, he was on top of the match-play bracket. Thomas, the 17-year-old from Bernalillo, N.M., is the new Sun Country Match Play champion.

Thomas, who is also a competitive cross country runner, has been named the Sun Country Amateur Golf Association junior of the year three times, so it’s only fitting for him to add an association-sponsored match-play title to his resume. That resume also includes two runner-ups at the New Mexico Open and the individual title at the NMAA Class 5A state championship.

Thomas fired a 77 at New Mexico Tech Golf Course to take the sixth seed on the Sun Country bracket. Coincidentally, it was the same number he fired at Baltusrol Golf Club in his USGA debut earlier this month. Thomas missed the cut at that event, the U.S. Junior.

At the Sun Country event, Thomas immediately took down Ben Albin, 6 and 5. He defeated Simon Miller, 3 and 2, to find his way into the final, then took down Rosswell Sinclar to win the title.

In the senior division, Anton Salome defeated Brian Kern in the final match, 2 and 1. Robert Schneider won the super senior division with a 6-and-5 victory over Crispin Fuentes.

The women’s division title went to 11-year-old Rylee Salome, who defeated Shannelle Tafoya, 3 and 2, in the final.

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