​The NB3 Matchplay golf tournament is back, and this year’s edition brings a few fresh faces into the mix. Now in its third year, the collegiate match play event returns this fall with longtime participants such as the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State again featured, alongside three new schools joining the field, according to the Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation, which announced the lineup on Tuesday.
For the men’s and women’s divisions, UNM and NMSU will be joined by North Carolina State in both fields, while Houston and Oklahoma will compete as the fourth men’s and women’s teams, respectively. The round-robin format will feature two days of head-to-head competition on September 29-30 at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, the same venue that hosted the tournament’s two previous editions.
Fans can also expect national television coverage, with Golf Channel broadcasting both days of competition. Notably, this year’s event will not overlap with the International Balloon Fiesta, as has happened in some past editions.
The NB3 Collegiate Matchplay fields for 2026 (Sept. 29-30) were announced as follows: Men’s competition includes UNM, NMSU, NC State, and Houston; Women’s competition includes UNM, NMSU, NC State, and Oklahoma. The third edition of the event will again be staged at Twin Warriors Golf Club, continuing a partnership that helps bring high-level collegiate golf to the Santa Ana Pueblo region.
Albuquerque native Notah Begay III, the event’s namesake and a former PGA Tour professional, said there was significant interest from schools to participate this year. He highlighted his connection with Eddie Nuñez, the University of Houston’s athletic director and a former UNM standout, as a key factor in securing the Cougars’ spot in the men’s field. Begay noted Nuñez spoke highly of the NB3 Matchplay’s role in showcasing college golf and of the event’s origin and purpose. He also added that NC State recognizes the value of appearing on national television in a market and region it does not frequently visit.
Begay also indicated that the event’s limited field size meant he had to turn away several interested teams, a testament to the growing profile and visibility of the NB3 Matchplay within the college golf community. He stressed that the event has gained considerable attention within the college golf space, aligning with its mission to elevate opportunities for players, schools, and partners while promoting the host state.
Presented by the Pueblo of Santa Ana and Nusenda Community Credit Union, the tournament structure assigns five points per team match over two days of play, with each team in its respective field competing in three matches. The aggregate total determines the champions, with last year’s edition recognizing UNLV as the men’s team champion and Arizona as the women’s team champion. This year’s format aims to continue that tradition of intense, strategic match play at a premier venue.
For those seeking more information or wishing to contact coverage organizers, Sean Reider, who covers college football and other sports for the Journal, remains a primary point of contact. He can be reached at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider. The NB3 Matchplay continues to grow its footprint in college golf, delivering competitive match play action while spotlighting the talents of rising collegiate golfers and the partnerships that support them.