Omar Morales Leads Latin America Amateur Championship And Closes In On Major Starts

Mexico’s Omar Morales fired a superb third round of 65, despite finishing with a double bogey on the 18th, to lead the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) at the Santa Maria Golf Club in Panama. Morales heads the way by three shots from his countryman Santiago De la Fuente. Morales is now just one round away from earning himself a start in The 2024 Masters Tournament, The Open Championship and the US Open.

Morales is the highest ranked player in the field this week. The 20-year-old competed in last year’s US Open at Los Angeles Country Club and is a member of the University of Los Angeles golf team.

“At the US Open, I realized I have a lot of skill, especially after being in the lead after nine holes, and it taught me to be mentally stable and focus on the next shot,” he said.”

Morales made four birdies on his front nine and turned in 31. He then continued his run with a birdie at the par-5 10th then an eagle two at the short par-4 11th. He kept it steady from there with six consecutive pars but then found the water from the tee on the 18th. He had to scrap hard to drop just two shots on the final hole, but he holed a clutch putt to maintain a three shot advantage over the chasers.

Santiago De la Fuente played some superb golf and is the nearest of those chaers. He finished strongly to fire a 66 and end the third round three back of Morales.

Mateo Fuenmayor of Colombia also produced some excellent golf in his round of 68. He's on three-under-par with 18 holes to play.

Justin Hastings of the Cayman Islands and Andrey Xavier from Brazil are tied for fourth place on one-over-par.

The prizes on offer in Panama this week could be life changing for the victor.

The LAAC champion receives an invitation to compete in the 2024 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and  will automatically qualify for The 152nd Open at Royal Troon and, for the second time, will earn a spot in the US Open - the 124th instalment of which will take place at Pinehurst over the famous #2 course there.

The winner also receives full exemptions into The 129th Amateur Championship, 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 152nd Open and the 124th U.S. Open 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 Sebastian Munoz, Mito Pereira and Alvaro Ortiz.

There have now been 24 victories by former LAAC players on the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas.

The LAAC will return to Pilar Golf in Buenos Aires for the 10th edition in 2025.