Manuel Merizalde, Patrick Sparks and Gabriel Palacios fired excellent opening rounds of 66 in extremely hot weather to lead the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) at the Pilar Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Manuel Merizalde of Colombia was best of the morning wave and stayed at the front through the afternoon. The 45-year-old veteran who is down at 893 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, made seven birdies and dropped just one shot as he made a superb start to his campaign. A former professional, Merizalde now works for a security firm back in Colombia.
“I wasn’t expecting much to tell you the truth,” he said. “I’m 45-years-old and I don’t get to practice too much. But sometimes that can help. Expectations are low and you can play with freedom.”
A later starter, Sparks was able to match Merizalde's score with a rollercoaster round that included seven birdies and an eagle. It's been a good day for Peruvian golf with the announcement that the 2026 LAAC will be contested at the Lima Golf Club.
Guatemala's Gabriel Palacios was in the last group and he managed to match the Colombian and the Peruvian. The three are tied at the top on six-under.
Franco Ricciardelli of Argentina posted an opening 67 to sit on five-under and, like Merizalde, he dropped only one shot during his round.
Another Argentinian player Mateo Pulcini matched Ricciardelli on five-under 67. The 24-year-old finished with a birdie at the difficult ninth hole.
Veteran Puerto Rican Jeronimo Esteve had a round to remember. The 43-year-old carded a 68 that included a hole-in-one at the 6th hole.
The pressure will build through the week as the competitors in contention begin to consider the prizes on offer in Buenos Aires this week. Those prizes could be life changing for the victor.
The LAAC champion receives an invitation to compete in the 2025 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and will automatically qualify for The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush and, for the third time, will earn a spot in the US Open - the 125th instalment of which will take place at Oakmont Country Club.
The winner also receives full exemptions into The 130th Amateur Championship, the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.
Runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The 153rd Open and the 125th U.S. Open Championship. The second and third placed finishers will be exempt for The Amateur Championship.
Founded by The R&A, The Masters and The USGA, the LAAC was inaugurated with a view to developing the game of golf in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Since it was first contested in Buenos Aires in 2015, the 72-hole strokeplay tournament has produced great champions and a number of top players.
Joaquin Niemann of Chile who won the LAAC in 2018 on home soil in Santiago, is perhaps the best-known graduate.
Others to have played in the event include Nico Echavarria, Sebastian Munoz, Mito Pereira and Alvaro Ortiz.
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