Bus Crash Involving New Mexico University Golf Teams Leaves Multiple Dead

Several members of the University of the Southwest's men's and women's teams were in the crash

A close up of a club hitting a golf ball of a tee
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A bus crash involving members of the University of the Southwest’s golf teams has left multiple people killed.

The bus was carrying players from the university’s men’s and women’s teams following a tournament at Midland College earlier on Tuesday. It collided head-on with a pick-up truck in Texas at around 8.17pm on Tuesday night, leaving fatalities from both vehicles. Sgt. Steven Blanco of the Texas Department of Public Safety told Texan TV station KWES-TV: “It’s a very tragic scene. It’s very, very tragic.” Blanco also confirmed that the crash was under investigation.

The president of the University, Quint Thurman, said in a statement that among those killed in the crash was the coach of the men's and women's golf teams, Tyler James. "We are still learning the details about the accident, but we are devastated and deeply saddened to learn about the loss of our students' lives and their coach." According to the university website, James was in his first year as coach.

The university, which is located in Hobbs, New Mexico, close to the Texan border, released a statement after the crash confirming the news. Then, on Wednesday, the University issued a further update via its Twitter account, confirming that nine passengers were on the bus, and that reportedly seven had been killed: It read: "The USW campus community is shocked and saddened today as we mourn the loss of members of our university family. Nine passengers, including the coach, were on the university bus involved in the fatal accident. While the accident investigation is still underway, reports indicate that seven passengers aboard the bus were killed in the crash.” The statement also said that two passengers are in a critical condition and undergoing medical treatment.

 

Mike Hall
Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 


He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 


Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 


Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.