Latin America Amateur Championship – Founders’ Press Conference

Casa de Campo announced as host to 2016 LAAC

Latin American Amateur Championship - Trophy
Latin American Amateur Championship - Trophy
(Image credit: LAAC)
Fergus Bisset
By
published

Pete Dye’s stunning Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic will play host to the 2016 Latin America Amateur Championship.

Pete Dye’s stunning Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic will play host to the 2016 Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC.)

Next year’s venue was announced in a press conference at Pilar Golf in Buenos Aires, Argentina – host to this year’s inaugural LAAC. Augusta Chairman Billy Payne, R&A Chairman Wilson Sibbett and USGA Chief Executive Mike Davis represented the championship’s Founding Partners to make the announcement to a large audience comprised of journalists and officials.

Built in the 1970s and featuring a number of holes hugging the Atlantic Ocean, Pete Dye’s Teeth of the Dog course is generally viewed to be one of the best layouts in Latin America and The Caribbean.

“It’s a great honour for us to have been selected to host this prestigious championship,” said Rafael Torres, President of Casa de Campo. “We are fortunate that the selection committee has seen fit to bring the LAAC to what we believe is the finest golf resort in this region.”

The representatives then took questions from the floor and explained their reasoning for the choice of Casa de Campo and in particular why the Olympic venue in Rio was not chosen.

“The objective is, and has always been, to move this event around the Latin American region,” said Mike Davis. “We felt that Casa de Campo was the perfect destination for the second running of this tournament, but Brazil will certainly be considered for future hosting of the LAAC.”

“And with regards the Olympic course,” added Wison Sibbett. “Brazil and Rio de Janeiro will receive significant exposure through the Olympic Games themselves in 2016 so we felt taking this event to a different part of the region next year was the sensible decision.”

There were a few chuckles from the crowd, as well as those on the stage, when one of the journalists on the floor asked the panel – “What, in your opinion, is the best Major.”

The question was fielded with good humour.

“Ours is the oldest Major,” said Wilson Sibbett. “And ours is the next Major,” quipped Billy Payne.

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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