The 2024 Women's Amateur Latin America championship will be played at the historic Lima Golf Club in Peru this week, featuring a talented field aiming to be crowned champion.
This event marks not only the centenary of the Peruvian institution, but also brings a strong and impressive field of golfers from across Latin America. The latest edition of the championship will provide a true showcase of the future of women's golf in this region.
From Thursday to Sunday, 60 talented amateur players from 12 countries will compete in the fourth edition of the WALA. The most represented nations are Colombia (11), Argentina (8), Peru (7), Mexico (7) and Chile (6). These countries have a history of fostering young talent.
South America will also be represented by players from Paraguay, Venezuela, Brazil and Uruguay. Furthermore, players from countries with less golfing traditions, such as Guatemala, Barbados and Bolivia, have confirmed their participation, thereby reinforcing the WALA's mission to promote the sport in all corners of the region.
In addition to their golfing achievements, numerous WALA competitors are pursuing their university studies while simultaneously developing their sporting careers. More than half of the players in the field who will be present at Lima Golf Club have attended or are currently attending universities in the United States.
This path has allowed players to develop their games at the highest level while studying, which not only strengthens their competitive mentality but also forms them integrally as people and athletes. This is reflected in the fact that the three champions of the Women's Amateur Latin America – all staged at Pilar Golf in Argentina – were studying at a U.S. university, namely 2021 champion Valery Plata (Michigan State), 2022 winner Valentina Rossi (Michigan State) and 2023 champ Ela Anacona (Arkansas). Anacona will tee up in Lima as defending champion.
These talented players will not only compete for the prestige of winning the title but will also have the opportunity to gain entry to three of the most important women's professional tournaments worldwide.
The WALA, presented by the R&A and the Annika Foundation, offers the champion the opportunity to compete in three 2025 major championships: AIG Women's Open, Amundi Evian Championship and Chevron Championship. This provides an unparalleled platform for the champion to test her abilities against the best professional golfers in the world. These benefits make this championship an ideal platform for showcasing the development of golf's future stars.
Anacona made the cut at the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews in August.
The Women’s Amateur Latin America follows the successful introduction of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific by the R&A in 2018.
For more information on the WALA, click HERE.
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