Big news from Panama this morning that Pilar Golf in Argentina will host the 2025 Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC.) The news was announced in a press conference at the Santa Maria Golf Club featuring representatives of the founding partners of the LAAC – Martin Slumbers of The R&A, Fred Ridley of Augusta National and Mike Whan of the USGA.
It will be the second time the LAAC has been hosted by Pilar Golf in Argentina. The event will return to the course 10 years after the inaugural championship in 2015.
When the event was first contested at Pilar Golf, Chile’s Matias Dominguez was the winner. He finished one clear of home player Alejandro Tosti.
The 2024 LAAC is being played at the Santa Maria Golf Club in Panama. The players have teed off in the first round of the championship and Mexico's Omar Morales currently leads. It’s the ninth instalment of the event.
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.
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.
