Perfect match: Notah Begay III's vision of major college golf event takes flight in Albuquerque

This is his game.

This is his passion.

This is his home.

And Notah Begay III is ready to show it all off to the world.

The Golf Channel analyst, philanthropist and professional golfer on the PGA Tour Champions circuit — yes, Begay is now 52, which in the golf world places the former PGA Tour star and Albuquerque native in what was formerly known as the “Senior Tour” — is ready to unveil his latest passion project last week with the help of Nusenda Credit Union and Twin Warriors Golf Club at Santa Ana Pueblo.

“I just tried to find a way to basically utilize my various platforms,” he said in describing the roots of this week’s first-of-its-kind college golf event. “I play golf at the highest level, I’m in broadcast television and I care deeply about New Mexico. This was just a convergence of all those things.”

The two-day, nationally broadcast NB3 Matchplay event started Tuesday morning at Twin Warriors. The event pitted four college golf programs — men’s and women’s teams from the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, Stanford and Texas. It was intentionally scheduled last week with the start of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with the hopes of it being an advertisement for New Mexico with a big time, national sporting event on the ground and a picturesque international tradition in the sky.

The Golf Channel, which operates under the NBC Sports umbrella, broadcasted six hours of the event Tuesday and Wednesday with analysts Ryan Burr and Begay, at least when Begay isn’t wearing one of the several dozen other hats he had to don — including as a welcoming host to Pueblo dignitaries, the four schools, viewers at home and to the fans from around New Mexico he hoped would come out to support the event, even if they have no rooting interest.

“The primary roadblocks that you find in our state, I find, is that there’s a culture of not believing we can achieve. I wholeheartedly believe in the people of the state, especially our youth,” Begay said. “I’ll do everything I can to provide as much opportunity as I can through my nonprofit work, through the support of educational systems, through putting together events like this. ...

“And with everything that’s happening in the world and social media, we as the consumers of content, sort of overlook things from time to time. And I just don’t want people to overlook the fact that we have a wonderful thing happening next week, and just to come be a part of it.”

Begay says the road to this event has been long, most likely starting back in 2014 when he began working with the Golf Channel.

He took notice as match play events with pro athletes and celebrities proved successful viewing events, while the college sports landscape started to evolve with exposure serving as a primary recruiting tools.

The wheels in Begay’s head began to spin faster and eventually, with the blessing of UNM (to serve as the host) Santa Ana and Twin Warriors (to serve as the locale) and Nusenda (largely footing the bill), Begay’s labor of love was ready to tee off.

Some of the airtime was used to tell stories of the players, universities and pueblos around New Mexico and of the NB3 Foundation, Begay’s nonprofit dedicated to improving the welfare of Native American children.

Once the project was a go, finding four teams wasn’t all that difficult.

Begay knew both of New Mexico’s Division I golf programs would be involved. He went to Stanford, so the Cardinal was a given. And then there’s Texas, one of the most successful programs in the country, whose men’s team is coached by New Mexico native and longtime UNM men’s golf coach (1988-97) John Fields.

As who was Begay pulling for?

“My hopes is that we see very competitive matches,” Begay said, before some more relatable factors started to kick in.

“Then, because I’m a Stanford alum and I played there, and also my wife went to the University of Mexico, I hope it’s a tie between Stanford and the University New Mexico.”