Mark Wagner
Special to ICT
Among a field of 140 golfers at this year’s Native American Open, Faylyn Beyale and Aidan Thomas successfully defended their titles.
The tournament, held in mid-October at Santa Ana and Twin Warriors courses, sported competitors from 23 states and Canada, representing 62 tribes, bands and nations.
“To be the best you have to beat the best,” said Jay Garcia, Santa Ana Pueblo, co-founder of the Native American Open and chairman of the Santa Ana Golf Corporation.
Women’s flights
Beyale, Navajo, is a former standout at Western New Mexico University and is currently deputy director of First Tee-Four Corners youth development program, a bridge to opportunity for Native youth growing up on the Navajo Reservation.
“When I’m teaching, I get to practice,” Beyale said with a wry smile, noting that she mostly works on her short game when giving instruction.
About her repeat victory?
“Back-to-back, it’s a fun feeling,” Beyale said. “The wind gave me a little trouble on the par threes, but I had a blast out there with the ladies. And Twin Warriors, it’s a work of art, God’s creation itself.”
Beyale was pushed at this year’s Open by Shandiin Harper, Navajo, another standout and recent graduate of Western New Mexico. Both Beyale and Harper could hear the footsteps of Taylor Harvey, Navajo and Hopi; Felicia Weller, Taos Pueblo; and Brianna Freeman, Pechanga.
Harvey, ultimately the third-place finisher, was recently promoted from an internship with the Professional Golfers Association to director of player development for the Sun Country PGA.
“It was blood, sweat and tears out there,” Harvey said. “Not gonna lie.”
She has over 2,000 kids in the Youth on Course program and will be balancing her own golf and personal goals with organizing recruitment and player development for Sun Country PGA.
The top three women took home cash prizes and bragging rights for having held the top spots in a field that sported more than 30 women.
Men’s flights
In the annals of Native golf, there is a legend that when players heard ‘Big Dog’ Joe Prue (who died in 2022) was going to play at an event, golfers would stay home.
Aidan Thomas, Laguna Pueblo, has taken on that type of cachet, though it did not appear his competitors stayed home. Prue’s brother Dan, Rosebud Sioux, represented this year, as did legends such as Robert Komahcheet lll, Comanche, and Steve McDonald, Potawatomi.
Tony Mike Jr., Navajo, landed in second place. A rookie participant, Christopher Kurth lll, Oneida, carved out a respectable third-place finish. A sales rep for Taylor Made, Kurth learned about the Open from Santa Ana’s Zach Hoefel when they met at a recent industry event.
All said, Thomas held his nerve and delivered a repeat run, with a winning score of 14 under par, telling ICT, “I keep my focus by breathing and getting rest.”
In one conversation, Thomas told a gathering of up-and-coming golfers to be awake for at least three hours before a competitive round. Thomas’ father, Marshall, noted his son has strong discipline with respect to food, rest, and studying.
“He studies golfers on YouTube,” Marshall Thomas said, “and he reads about the game as well.”
If this year’s elite flight proved anything, Thomas will have competition in years to come.
An 18-year-old from Oklahoma, Seth Gilliam, Choctaw, finished a strong second in the Men’s Open.
While pipped at the top by TQ Barrios, Northern Ute and Tachi Yokut Tribe, Gilliam was undeterred. A self-taught golfer who began hitting on the driving range at MacAllister Country Club in 2021, Gilliam has been supported by his school program, his father and his grandmother Sandra.
Sandra Gilliam believes in her grandson enough to have driven the distance to the Open, which didn’t disappoint.
“I’m not a golfer,” Sandra admitted, “but I wanted him to be here. He’s a real good golfer.”
“I am really happy to represent my people,” Gilliam said, noting he is Choctaw through his father’s family. On courses he had never played, Gilliam recorded scores of 69 and 77.
In his last year of high school and looking to college golf as a way to develop his ability, he already has offers from Haskell and other schools with strong golf programs. In a conversation with Garcia, Seth received advice from one of Native golf’s key promoters.
“Whether you go the junior college route or a four-year school, just go forward with no regrets,” Garcia told him.
Micah Jones, executive assistant to Garcia, noted that there was a theme of a young golfer with an elder relative this year. There were father-son pairs playing, as well as father and daughter.
Robert Komahcheet lll, a perennial favorite in the tournament, was joined by his father, Robert Komahcheet Jr. While Robbie had to contend with elite golfers such as Tony Mike Jr., Navajo, and the Thomas brothers, Robbie’s father took home many honors in the Super Senior Flight.
The elders speak
Weather can be a factor in golf, but as a cloudless blue sky unfolded above the start of the final day, all heard from the former Santa Ana Pueblo Governor Joey Sanchez.
He noted that the golf courses and the event itself were made possible by 130 employees.
“We pride ourselves on being the best and thank our workers. As you play these beautiful courses, be sure to thank them and the Creator,” Sanchez said.
PGA Professional Derek Gutierrez thanked the tournament’s sponsors and gave a shout out to Jason Montoya, the first Pueblo Native American to be a PGA member. There seems to be a common thread among a young generation of Native golfers — including Aidan and Tyrone Thomas, Harper, Harvey, and the Long sisters among others; that thread is the instruction of Montoya.
Montoya’s top former student, Thomas was asked to give a short speech on taking the top prize at this year’s tilt.
“I’m bound for Tucson in December,” Thomas began, noting that this will be the 2nd stage of Q school for the qualifying process for the PGA Tour.
“And I want to give a shout out,” he continued. “I couldn’t do it without my brother Tyrone. My parents. And Jay and Jason and Zach and Derek and all of the Santa Ana and Twin Warrior crews. They have welcomed me into their family. It’s a big support, and I need that to achieve my dream of playing on the PGA Tour. We’ll see you again next year.”
At the luncheon on the final day, McDonald, a lifetime member awarded the 2022 Deacon Palmer Award by the PGA, took up the mantle of connections. Playing in the Open for the first time, he said to a gathering of players and workers, “What a tremendous event. Watching our Native brothers and sisters, their caliber of play, poise, maturity, respect and encompassing love for golf, you can see the future of the game is in good hands and that is very heart warming.”
It’s obvious the passion and love McDonald has for the game has been passed down and is alive and well in many generations of Native golfers.
Details and registration for the 6th annual tournament will be posted around Aug. 1, 2026. Jones anticipates the date to be as usual, the third weekend of October.