Justin Hastings of the Cayman Islands became the 10th Latin America Amateur champion on Saturday, overcoming nervy moments down the stretch.
With inclement weather in the Sunday forecast, tournament officials moved the final round to Saturday afternoon, following the scheduled third round at Pilar Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After posting a tournament-low 64 in the third round, Hastings closed with an even-par 72 to finish at 16-under par, one stroke ahead of Peruvian Patrick Sparks.
Hastings, 21, is the second LAAC champion from the Cayman Islands, following Aaron Jarvis in 2022. There are 27 golf holes in the entire territory.
“You don’t necessarily need 100 nice golf courses to produce good players and to work hard,” Hastings said.
After opening with 71, Hastings put together a record-breaking next two rounds. He shot 65-64 (15-under par), with 17 birdies and only two bogeys. Hastings’ 129 total was the lowest middle 36 holes in tournament history.
Hastings led Sparks by five strokes starting the final round. By the 17th hole Sparks had pulled even thanks to hot putting and a few Hastings miscues, but he lipped out a par putt inside of 5 feet and Hastings hung on to win.
With the victory, Hastings earned an invitation into the Masters Tournament, and exemptions into the U.S. Open and the Open Championship. These will be the first major appearances of Hastings’ career.
Pablo Lacayo of Nicaragua proved the mental game is perhaps the most important part of golf. After a first-round 89 that included a 17 on the par-5 second hole, Lacayo bounced back on Friday with a 69.
“I was able to enjoy the round and be more present,” Lacayo said.
Lacayo’s opening round was the joint highest of the tournament, meaning his solid second round wasn’t enough to make the 36-hole cut. However, Lacayo was happy to depart on a positive note.
“I’m very proud of myself and I’m going to leave this tournament with a smile,” Lacayo said.
Argentinians represented themselves well playing on home soil, with nine of the 11 in the field making the cut.
The best of the bunch was Argentine Mid-Amateur champion Segundo Oliva Pinto. He finished in a tie for third at 14-under par, shooting 68-71-65-70. This was his fifth appearance in the LAAC and he’s never finished outside the top 15.
Mateo Pulcini (-13) and Leandro Mihaich (-11) also finished in the top 10.
Jerónimo Esteve holed a 4-iron on the par-3 sixth hole for a hole-in-one during the first round at Pilar GC. It was the third ace in championship history
Esteve, a 43-year-old Florida resident who’s a native of Puerto Rico, had made a double bogey on No. 5 and was 2-over par when the magic struck. He followed up the ace with a birdie on the way to an opening 68.
“I felt at peace,” Esteve said. “It calmed my nerves down.”
In 2026, the LAAC will make its debut in Peru at the Lima Golf Club. Opened in 1924, the course hosted the 2024 Women’s Amateur Latin America Championship.
Next year will mark the 11th edition of the LAAC, an event organized by the Masters, the R&A and the USGA to grow the game of golf in the region. This year’s 108-player field consisted of players from 28 recognized countries and territories.
The winner earns an invitation to the Masters and exemptions into the U.S. Open and Open Championship.
The LAAC founding partners announced on Thursday the creation of the Latin America Amateur Championship Academies. Modeled after the three Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship academies, the LAAC Academies will provide instruction and resources to aspiring golfers.
The first academy in Latin America will be at the Casa de Campo Golf Resort in the Dominican Republic, host of three LAACs. The program will start later this year.
Compiled by Everett Munez and Jim Nugent