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Additional information:
The 8th edition of the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) will be held from January 12-15, 2023, at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Puerto Rico.
Founded in 2014 by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the USGA, the LAAC was established to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The championship annually moves to top courses throughout Latin America and showcases the sport’s rising talent in the region, including PGA Tour winners and 2020 Olympians such as Joaquin Niemann of Chile, the 2018 LAAC champion, and Sebastián Muñoz of Colombia.
This year’s champion receives an invitation to compete in the 2022 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club and automatically qualifies for The 150th Open at St Andrews. The winner also receives full exemptions into The Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible and is exempt into the final stages of qualifying for the 2022 U.S. Open Championship.
The typical 120-player field is comprised annually of the top male amateurs in Latin America representing the 29 IOC-recognized countries and territories from this region that are current members of the International Golf Federation.
Sometimes all a youngster needs is a dream and an opportunity Omar Morales of Mexico has his squarely Insight dominant for 17 holes of round three Omar Morales with one swing though he brought his countrymen right back into the championship Santiago delente with a blend of touch and nerve put himself in
Position to strike Matteo Fen mayor lurking as well and looking to bring Colombia its first win in this tournament they’re playing for more than one of the most coveted titles in Amateur Golf they’re competing for a chance to go places kids dream about from Panama It’s the final round of the
Latin America amateur Championship the Masters Tournament in partnership with the RNA and usgaa proudly present the 2024 Latin America amateur Championship Sunny Sunday in Panama nice place to be with large squats of the United States locked in a rigid winter B scrip here you can swim in both oceans
In the same day it’s a narrow strip of land connecting the America sort of a rose of the Winds with all cardinal directions emanating from here on the east side of Panama City Santa Maria Golf Club 12 years old although the game goes back more than a century here
Arnold Palmer Sam sne Roberto Divas SEL all one tournament in Panama this the ninth edition of the Latin America amateur Championship last played here in 2017 Rich lder pleased to be alongside two time US Open Champion Andy North Colt NOS former US amateur champion and number one ranked Amer in the world is
On the golf course with Ela Steven who’s played around the world John Sutcliff has the interviews and perspective Andy a Wild final round already let’s start with Santiago de la fente here third shot of the par 5 Second he began three shots off the lead this is a power five that with two
Really good ones you can reach it that was going to be tapped in for birdie now Morales who went for this green and hit it into the penalty area to the right of the green that was for par he miss it two shot swing and all of a sudden game
On yeah the lead is one and remember as he stood on 17t in round number three he led by six a double on the final hole hit it left in the water still shot 65 now at the fifth little par three delente they’ve moved the te up given
The players a front hole location playing 120 and if you can hit it the right distance you’ve got a chance to make an ace here use the back stop get it coming back down the hill beautifully [Applause] judged Morales can he do the same yes he can using that same slope beautifully
Judged moris answers third member of the group this is Matteo F mayor of Colombia if if you miss this little area you’ve got really a tough job to get the ball two putted from any distance but if you hit it in that spot it’s going to
Come right down next to the hole and all three players played it beautifully all three led to birdies to the six delente so good with his wedges this week Andy laid upsh the Fairway bunker great angle into this back right hole location and he absolutely Nails it yeah you can hear
It you can see it the winds are whipping Golf Course by the way is a part of 70 a little more than 6,800 yds today for this final round this was enormous right here Morales at number seven yeah after he was tied for the lead gets it
Back and so the par missed by delente and a two shot swing in the other Direction and just moments ago this for birdie at the par 48 delente coming down the hill he’s going to break from his left to right go ahead Santi do that just pours it in he hit the edges all day on Saturday he’s starting the holes getting in the way on
Sunday he’s bringing it four birdies already for Santiago DEA so maybe another two- shot swing harut here at eight for Morales and we are back tied and we have a championship to be won in the last 10 holes within eight holes we’ve had three two shot swings
Already these two guys go back to their junior days8 n years old in Mexico competing against one another on the same national teams and here they are fighting for the prize of their lives Morales and Dela pente quen mayor has backed off a bit he’s one over par we
Have ourselves quite a championship Andy it’s two man race two friends battling against each other this is going to be awesome last 10 holes and now at 90 All Tied let’s bring in Colt nost what a day we have on our hands here fellas this ninth hole has been
Brutal all week but this is a beautiful t- shot Colt is the most difficult hole in the golf course again today and finding this Fairway imperative how you like this weather partner what’s temperature back in Wisconsin about 100 degrees different it’s at 17 Back in the New
York area about four and a half hour flight from JFK and lots of direct flights from all over the United States we have loved every moment of it here in Panama now Omar Morales he’s got Fairway metal he’s been [Applause] impressive he drove the eyes out of it yesterday
Until the snipe at 18 but he’s a big guy rangy 6′ three athletic two featured groupings Justin Hastings has shown flashes this week out of the Cayman Islands plays college golf at San Diego State Andre zavier of Brazil and then we loved waca luena yesterday he went wild on the
Backside played the first what five holes in six under bar amazing Run Eagle 10 and then Birdie the next four he’s got the tww tattoo on the inside of his arm and now the final group Morales DEA fente and Matteo fuen mayor uh F mayor at the nth and Colt
Just kind of what’s the the buzz like down there well it’s kind of been an emotional roller coaster I’d say for a lot of these fans these two shot swings have been rather crazy the last two holes but we got ourselves a ball game it’s going to be fun to watch and don’t
Count this man out he could get hot we’ve seen a lot of birdies made on that back nine when mayor is 21 years old he’s a senior at Oregon State won the duck Invitational last year back right hole location wind blowing from right to left into
Him that from 157 wind’s got it moving it way left he’s on a run of two straight bogeys there’s a good chance there could be a third in his future that is a tough place to get it up and in can’t make those kinds of mistakes when you’re five
Shots back now Impressions Colt of Dela fente I mean he’s got a lot of game a lot of confidence old school kind of players as we said yesterday doesn’t hit at the longest great short game but Andy we saw this whole location in this back right section on Thursday it gave the
Players all kinds of problems you see the water on the right so you tend to bail out but long left is no good at all it’s a very difficult up and down so easy to get the second shot right fighting the wind I think you got to make a choice
Here do you play short to the middlest front section and just try to two-putt if you go at it you got to commit to it no bailing out now Morales this from 135 after a huge threewood and he is holding this Up Against the Wind this is beautiful in the
Air and on the ground what a shot hardest hold in the golf course and he is going to make a kick in three saw Bruins on the outside of his yardage book He’s a junior at UCLA won two College tournaments a year ago flighted it beautifully really stayed down through that
Shot what a terrific play putting tons of pressure on his his buddy and playing partner this also from 130 on a really good line another wonderful play Andy is a two-time US Open Champion you have to be impressed with the quality of shot making we’ve seen these two players are
Really the class of the field we thought that at the beginning of the week and they’ve done it very seldom does that actually happen now another look at morales’s shot fighting it beautifully into that right to left wind absolutely perfect two highest ranked players coming in in the world
Amer golf rankings at 72 Morales and 87 that will change this week they’re getting a lot of points this week sugundo Oliva Pinto played his college golf at Arkansas out of Argentina this is the short power 4 11th a lot of the players have been able to
Drive the ball on the green this week how about that start back here little Eagle birdie so Omar Morales has led every step of the way 6969 to open and then even with that double bogey on the final hole yesterday it was a 65 just three players under Park the wins The Firm
Greens have made this challenging we really enjoyed Miguel ordonia is not only with his golf 40 years old but with his commentary the last two days in the booth sharp he’s one under so far today’s round and now Omar Morales just 20 years old this his second appearance the Latin America
Amateur Championship was 24th when they played it in Mexico four years ago when my are bringing in a rules official here got a free drop I believe from a sprinkler head but Rich I’m going to go ahead and date myself real quick I was talking to Omar last night yeah we’re talking about
How great Nick dunlap’s playing on the PGA tour this week and how cool it would’ be if he won and everything that comes with it he’s he asked me he goes would he lose his spot in the Open Championship in the US Open and I said
Yeah he said are you sure and I said yeah well I kind of went through this same thing he goes you won the US amiter I was like oh my God I’m like yeah of course I did and then I realized he was four years old when I won it’s
Depressing at that point you quickly finished your drink and said can I have another I’m going to go to bed it’s 8:00 all right little tap for birdie ready golf there’s only been one Birdie on this hole so far today now make it two yeah there’s d
Jam they’ve been there every step of the way momless set his brother Jam Jr is on the bag he’s had the answer at every step three birdies two Bogies goes out in 34 now when mayor oh going with a little bump and run there that was gorgeous hello FN
Great imagination on that shot and they pulled it off perfectly he’s going to be able to get out of here with a par oh a good thing at number nine so can do FTE match the birdies here but how good is this I mean the two blessed players in the field battle it
Out for this Championship I mean this is all you ask for when you show up at a tournament oh just slightly pull to the back of the green Morales now with a one shot lead still excellent front side with four birdies and just one bogy goes out
In three under and what was a three-shot deficit the start of the day is now just one game on headed to the backside you see Omar Morales we talked about Morales at UCLA’s Junior now Fen mayor cleaning it up he’ll need something special on the inward half as he is six behind
Morales hit the opening t- shot at the US Open last June at Lac North he led after nine holes he sat down with us to talk about that major moment and his career up to now here is Iona top ranked player in the field Omar Morales is playing in only his second
Laac and is first since 2020 but he’s come a long way from a 16-year-old rookie to pre-tournament favorite I I think I’ve qualified in last place for Mexico and right now I’m number one for Mexico and I’m the best ranked player in the field so it’s a little different
Scenario and obviously now being in college uh into my third year very different but but you know I sometimes I think I barely have changed welcome to round one of the 123rd US Open Championship it was a real honor to hit the first te shot at the US Open I
Couldn’t have dreamed of a better scenario both the qualifying and the site of the US Open so it was an amazing experience um and I really couldn’t believe I qualified like like half an hour before I teed off I was really nervous and I didn’t really know what to
Expect but I soon as I got to the tea and and I hit a good one down the middle there I I felt really comfortable in it it was such a special moment and something I’ll definitely never forget yeah it felt amazing I mean it was
Hitting Balls next to Rory and maxma and you know Bryson and everyone and I got to play with Scotty Sheffer nin holes on Tuesday so that was awesome everything about the week was was amazing I’ve been playing well for for a while now and you
Know it’s just a matter of being in the right mind and hitting one shot at a time not getting ahead of myself this 4 day tournament so can’t win the first day and really looking forward to the week I don’t really think going into Thursday oh I’m the best ranked in this
Field and therefore I should win I just take it as a new day and a new week and you know go out there and do my best a great experience for Omar Morales 7178 at the US Open then 7467 at the Mexico open on the PGE tour missed the
Cut there by one you see him with his UCLA Brothers you think of the Bruins can’t help but to consider their Old Coach the little Pro Eddie Marin who passed at 91 November of last year he was good friends Eddie was with the wizard of Westwood John Wooden the
Legendary basketball coach and Eddie told the story of wooden giving his golf team an 80-minute talk and he never mentioned the word winning only and he talked about preparation how that appli coach wood so Morales leading by one another birdie putt for saunda Oliva Pinto oh yeah look at here Eagle birdie
Birdie to start the backside for Pinto he is at even par that’s it gets him five under of the day to get back to even so what a run and currently solo fourth he’s racing into the top five now we’re live at the 10th and we’ll bring in Colt once
Again well this is where it can get really exciting Rich these guys if they hit the Fairway can have back-to-back Eagle chances here at 10 and 11 and Omar has plenty of fire power to cover that bunker that’s 290 yards doesn’t seem too thrilled with it just
Barely caught the right Edge leaking out to the right and now it’s perfect that is very fortunate but you’re exactly right he’s got a good angle and a flat lie this is a beauty here absolutely [Applause] flushed one shot back and at the moment guys this is about as
Calm as the wind has been all week so a chance to really get aggressive and make some birdies that may eliminate the chance of going at this green in two head on the green here this an eagle try for Justin Hastings cman Islands 96th in those World Amer golf rankings third
Highest rated player of the field Pride of the Aztecs oo look out San Diego State last fall at San Diego State won the Maui Jim Intercollegiate improving each year that’s what you see with so many of these players Andy with experiences like this we see it every
Year how much better the top players were than the year before so right now it is Omar Morales the man in Sunday red where have we seen that before and it’s a gorgeous spot here in Panama the lead is one well here here we’re down to the 13th
This the older brother of champion of a couple years ago Aaron Jarvis this is for a birdie at 13 he’s just birdied 9 10 11 and 12 what a nice run he’s gone from six over to two over for the championship so he is working his way up to the leaderboard currently sixth
Place Jarvis Brothers have had some spirited competition over the years on the golf course and how about the fact that we have four sets of Brothers in this Championship but you know something I think you’d expect you know you’ve got a lot of countries that are building their
Programs that you get a family that plays golf you’d expect that there’d be multiple players from that family that had a chance to compete here the Latin America amateur Championship is brought to you by Bank of America what would you like the power to do IBM let’s create AT&T We Believe connecting changes
Everything mercedesbenz the vehicles are all electric the feeling is all Mercedes the choice is all yours we’re live at the 10th here at Santa Maria golf club and here is a mato fuen mayor of Columbia he has 272 yards all the way to the hole which in this lie looks rather
Jumpy that was an aggressive play coming over all the problems he wasn’t laying up he was going up put the green is that it just short of the bunker short of the green so he was fortunate enough to get it over the penalty area and still has a chance to make
Birdie yep there oh he’s going to have an awkward lie left leg is going to need to be about a foot and a half longer than his right one up against that ever expanding skyline of Panama City Delonte second shot he has 252 to the hole
235 covers to the Green in line with the hole that looks like he’s going to try to cut this in there that’s exactly what he’s done but it’s cutting a little too much hold on it landed on the bank and started rolling back not sure if it made
It all the way into the water it is in the water CT that is a huge mistake here at 10 now Omar Morales well he got away with that t-shot has 230 yards left 210 covers in line and this is about as flat a lie as you can have here at
10 re helping it all cold it’s out of the right is there much help mostly just right to left maybe a hint of help like I said this is about as calm as it’s been all week your first thought is that obviously the penalty area the water
Between you and the hole but there’s out of bounds over this green if you fly it over this green it could cause you a lot of problems very very dangerous shot this one solidly struck but turning over a little too much okay that’s not a bad spot just off
The edge of the green on top of a little knob back there and who knows chance possibly for another two- shot swing we’ve already had three through 10 holes or nine holes Andy here’s another look at delante’s ball on this second shot that’s that is really important
It’s on the green side of the the penalty Hazard line so he will be able to drop it up around the green should have a great chance still to save par always enjoy this the championship Gala each year on Saturday night the dignitaries and players treated to some
Of Panama’s finest cultural flavor at the Santa Maria resort with good music food is excellent just around great Vibe nice going away gift for all the competitors at this year’s Latin America amateur Championship as it comes to a close warm Panamanian nights with our warmhearted friends at the Latin America amateur
Championship just and again Rich you did a marvelous job m sing this is U I consider it a privilege to come to this championship and to the asia-pacific amateur as well I love what it’s all about growing the game amateur golf and going back to Bobby Jones is is critical U Argentina
With eight making the cut that’s not a surprise they have the richest history in Gulf in this region great for the home country of Panama they’ve grown their program five and Guatemala I took a picture last night with the the Guatemalans and they’re just beaming with pride at having U five
Make the cut all five who were here in fact made the cut let’s bring in Iona with the red hot Argentine Oliva Pinto yeah down the left hand side unfortunately had to lay up to this point at the bunker and some good flow though let’s
See if he can make some moves just onto the back Fringe but tough hole location at 13 today all the way in the back right hand corner let’s bring in Colt with Santiago DEA fente came up just short of this bunker he does have some room though
It’s not the most comfortable stance but I think he’ll be able to handle it this mayor first got some good news some bad news Colt the LI is perfect bad news can he get a stance yeah he’s going to be just fine I think he would much rather have
It here than in the bunker well I agree he’s shown us some really good short game over the last three days that one unfortunately gets into the Ridge and stops fairly quickly and coold this a big spot right here for Santiago DEA fente yeah big Miss finding the water with that second
Shot good news is it did cross the penalty area so he should have a relatively straightforward pitch for his fourth and be able to get out of here with a par let’s go to 16 and not only an outstanding player but I mean he he’s top-notch broadcaster Miguel
Ordones got head get in there he’s been fifth pumping all week long that was a great par save uh one under for today’s round he’s really been grinding away he was in the booth with us the last couple of days he terrific yeah right guy
Command of the game plays it at a high level couple of Us Mid AMS the last three years in America Miguel ordones and now Delante so Cole what do you think here yeah he’s calling a r official over I believe he just wants to make sure it crossed at this exact
Point but it definitely flew the penalty area line and rolled [Applause] back all right he’s all set to go here has a perfect lie obviously as you saw after he placed it he’ll be hitting his fourth and should be able to handle this one with his
Hands and Andy one of the other great aspects of this tournament is conducting championships to the highest standards so the Committees that have been at work here Agronomy rules all of that important oh absolutely we’ talked so much about the players Improvement but the quality of the golf courses that
Superintendance that now get to work with the usgaa Agronomy people to help them make make things better and we’ve seen unbelievable improvements from course setup quality of the the grasses and just everything involved with the championship yeah great save for Park Colt his touch and creativity
Around the greens is high level yes it is and he had so many different kinds of shots I mean hits it low hits it high it’s fun to watch he’s very creative just has has a softness about him Andy the arms the hands yeah he he
Could have played in the 60s and 70s and 80s he has that old school field he does all right I’ll take your word for it Andy yeah you do that you do that shots being headit all over the place here now this shot for Omar here I mean
He could definitely putt this golf ball it’s very closely moan on the fringes here but he’s going with the wedge so I expect him to land this maybe just on the green and then it is straight [Applause] downhill that is a fantastic couch if he can get that in that would
Be a two- shot lead with eight to play bring in Iona with pinto at the 13th through the back of the green and opting for the flat stick going with the poter rather than the wedge and it will Bobble over the first couple of feet it’s all about judging the pace
Commentator’s curse it’s all part of the learning process though stylish in that bucket head all week back at the 10th delente went ahead and tapped in for his par now F myor has about 12et for his birdie it’s been a really nice week for him but I think the best thing going for
Him right now is he’s got a front row seat to a heavyweight fight good roll there’s a legendary boxer right here in Panama City H dp8 throw hands of stone remember Roberto Duran Panamanian great Mariano Rivera maybe the greatest athlete ever closer for the New York Yankees their Glory years
Rod Karu Minnesota Twins as good a contact hitter as there has ever been Luffy pink Kai alltime jockey and now Morales from Mexico to get to nine under and a two shot cushion and we have volunteers out here walking with a leaderboard so everyone knows exactly where they
Stand and these putts just feel a little bit longer on Sunday compared to Thursday he was really rock solid on these yesterday ohow well you don’t want that to creep into your mind you know with eight holes to go the biggest Sunday of your life B two got a driveable Par Four
Coming up huge moment get yourself back under control as big as any of the two- shot swings Andy delente in the water he gets away with five that’s dad Jamil he knows exactly what’s going on nerve rcking for a parent Let It Go yeah still has a one shot lead you’re
Right Andy it’s all so much of this game is letting it go and we’ll head to the 11th quite a final round here at the Latin America amateur Championship here we are at the short par 4 11th 298 yards today Hastings with his second just threw it straight up in the air into the wind beautiful play and he’s got that for birdie and he will have sand on him the rest of the day nothing like hitting those IND wind
Bunker shots when you’re sweating it’s 90° and you’re you’re sweating the St sand will never leave you now long walk over to the short power 4 11 and here’s a look at this was it a misread was it a push was it just misalignment never
Know but you’ve got to put that in the past you’ve got a critical t-shot coming up you can drive it on the the 11th green with a good one he did it yesterday and made Eagle so refocus get ready to go at the next shot
11 T and Omar Morales has a one-hot lead over Santiago DEA fente both from Mexico Morales just missed a short putt for birdie at the par 510 Dela hit his second in the water was able to get it up and down for par and that was an enormous
Moment it is drivable just a little bit of a weit this is where Morales made Eagle yesterday and had a six shot lead as he stood at 17th T in round three now Pinto at 14 187 today it’s cut in the very very back portion of the
Green shake that one off Colt that Miss putt yes he needs to but this hole right here Rich he has dominated this week four under par in the first three rounds that incred inredible Eagle yesterday today playing 298 to the hole 269 gets you on the front edge back into a pretty
Good wind right now but he definitely has the Firepower to get there I don’t know if there was some movement back there we’ve seen him back off once this first time we’ve seen him back off twice this week obviously critical t-shot if you’re not feeling comfortable
With it don’t hit driver you can go ahead and lay up still make birdie get set get ready to get after it this one is low and left at that bunker it got past it and then headed towards the cart path there it is he’s sitting up right by the cart path
What you deal with in the final round of a big Championship delente hit it way left here yesterday made a really good par this one on a really good line just left of the green oh beautiful shot just no tension in that swing Andy game on we got some action
Guys look out oh this is a car copia yesterday it landed on the bank I do not believe it crossed the penalty area good night kind of day for f mayor little bit to think about for the Leader by only one for the moment and the Man in the white
Slacks Santiago DEA fente just knocked it on at the 11th hole one behind final round of the latinum America amateur Championship careful I asked Jack Nicholas once time uh and it is Jack’s 84th birthday today happy birthday Jack that how do you decide how to lay up on on holes and he told me that I stand up there and if I don’t feel comfortable with the driver I’ll try
Three-wood if I don’t feel comfortable with the three-wood I’ll take something and he would work his way down to where he felt comfortable hitting a shot he said I might hit a three iron might hit a one iron it just whatever I felt comfortable if I didn’t feel comfortable
I did not want to hit that shot there you know there’s nothing wrong with laying up on a short hole like this we’ve seen as many players Birdie the hole after laying up this week as we have players going for the green on their t-shot you have to do what’s right at
The time and how you’re feeling be interesting to see what kind of livee if there’s any trees and where morales’s way after pulling his t- shot but luckily it stayed on this side of the car path if it bouns across a path there was out of bounds
Right there so he was fortunate that it hit halfway softly but nice galleries out here following the last group we’ve had that all week long Matias Dominguez won the very first Latin America amateur Championship he’s from Chile that was in Argentina 2015 year later bit of a surprise from
Costa Rica Paul Chaplet and Toto Ghana right here in Panama Thriller in a playoff W nean 63 final round in his home country of Chile and alado Ortiz 66 at Casa compo to win in 2019 from Mexico Abel Goos from Argentina in Mexico Aaron Jarvis from the Cayman Islands and a
Year ago 23 under record setting winning score Matteo Fernandez Vera so three are the first four going to Chile Mexico on the verge of winning a second Argentina two of the last three years most on this list a turn professional Aaron Jarvis still playing he’s tied 41st at the
Moment great experience he made the cut at the open did Aaron Jarvis two years ago the old course only past champion of the Latin America amateur to have made the cut at the open and now Omar Morales one shot lead playing the 11th ball stayed just short of the cart
Path down there he’s got 60 yards left to this back back hole location there is a knob about 15 yd short of this pin that I believe he needs to cover so throw one up in the air landed around 50 yards and it should feed right down to it anything short is
Going to work its way back towards the front of the green nothing like it C galleries gathered round at an important amateur championship by far the largest gallery of the week everyone knows what’s at St there it is invitations to the Masters the open US Open The
Amateur which is at Valley liin US amateur at Hazel Team National this year very few tournaments that you could think of that offer that much to a winner and while we have a moment let’s go to 14 bring in Iona with pinto yeah very solid t-shot to this
Point this tricky par three and he’s been using a point with his feet to get the read on this part up the slope it’s a tricky one to judge be very careful with the pace okay well that was well judged yeah good final round though for sugundo
Oliva Pento back to the 11th and Colt once again Omar Morales walked up to where he thinks he needs to land this ball and had his caddy laser it which lasers are allowed this week I think the one thing Andy that makes this shot a little uncomfortable
Is you can barely just see the top of the pin and you cannot see where you want to land the ball which I always felt was a little uncomfortable these players are so good at making the ball Go the Distance they want they practice these 50 yard shots
60 yard shots 70 yard shot so much that I think that helps when you can’t see um you know you can’t use your eyes to tell you how far it is going back into the wind will also help him get this ball to land a little bit
Softer this is really a big time shot Dent is driven the ball on the green has an eagle opportunity landed it right where he was standing that’s a really good shot Andy terrific play to get in there six seven feet from the hole for birdie well [Applause]
Done I believe he was within about two Ines of where he was trying to land that that was impressive all right this f f mayor was was dry yeah it rolled back it rolled back into a little bit of the taller grass but we’ll be able to get a club on
It that light area is an upper portion of the green that if he landed there it should just trickle down the hill toward the hole choke all the way down on this one Andy I’ve been blown away by what we’ve seen in the short game department at the
Top of this field over the course of four days I think that’s maybe the biggest Improvement of all the areas of the games we’ve seen of these players it’s not only that they the skill level of getting the ball up and in but the different types of shots we’ve seen
We’ve seen bump and runs we’ve seen nice little lobs we’ve seen the low Spinners all haste ings at the 12th short Par Four Club face wide open should have some spin on it oh wow yes it does what a shot come on just what just exactly what you’re talking about exactly nicely
Done he loved it long Eagle attempt for Santiago delente it’s long but pretty pretty simple honestly not a lot of movement in it this is on a great line just needs to pick up a little speed just up in the three foot range not bad at all from down there andy love the
Size of the galleries here on Sunday yeah this is great burgeoning golf movement here in Panama you know the Duran Brothers uh Chico past president the Panama Golf Association brother Miguel’s the current president Sun Samuel by the way made the cut 17 going to Clemson first family of golf here have
Really uh driven the growth here about 2500 players develop even in the midamer ranks they love it corn fery tours playing here early next month all right big putt here in yeah just after missing that short one on the last hole if he could make this
One that would go a long way he’s missed a couple I saw a Miss at eight for par and the short birdie at 10 you need something positive right now yeah and in his mind he’s got to believe Del wi is going to make his
Birdie so he’s got to make this to stay one ahead but this one’s a little tricky Andy the ball’s well below his feet which makes you want to feel like it’s going to go pretty pretty hard to the right but there’s not that much movement I think he’s going to hit it
Through most of the right hand break got a great shot of it from behind he’s aiming the ball probably six Ines left of the hole you call the CT it just hung out there and it almost looked like it went left at the end telling you you feel that in your feet
The ball so far below you you just got to believe it’s going to go right but it’s just really flat in this back section so this will be par par through 10 and 11 where you want to go birdie birdie but he’s got to tell himself
Walking off this screen hey I just hit a great putt I hit it exactly the line I wanted to hit it on I just misread it a little bit Yeah relatively easy par five at 10 short four at 11 where he made Eagle yesterday he’s got to be doing some
Positive talk in his head now one mayor didn’t look like birdie when when that t- ball was airb when it was in air looked like the birdie the whole way that was a beautiful up and in out of the penal area little Luck Good short game make birdies all right
Now Dela fente to tie for the lead his caddy Pepe told me Thursday morning his man is ready he’s been so class close the last couple of years this right here to be tied for the lead with just seven holes to play Stone Cold he is tied for the lead yet again
Remember he began three off the pace and was six back standing on the 17th T yesterday back of this guy Omar Morales what a final round here in Panama while we have a moment let’s go down to John Sutcliffe rich I was growing up in Mexico City I was introduced to Juan
Antonio Estrada he was the first Mexican to play the Masters as an amateur from 62 to 64 he made the cut then years later thanks to this tournament Alber Ortiz got to play in 2019 so now if it’s Omar from pbla or Santiago from guadara what it means to
Not just play the Masters the US Open the Open Championship I covered Loreno choa when she was the number one player in the world and she helped promote golf in Mexico imagine how many kids today are saying Hey I want to be like Omar or I want to be like
Santiago thank you John about golfers from Mexico Victor G rapael alaran Carlos espanosa Ernesto Perez aasta estabon Toledo theor Brothers Abraham answer and more in the pipeline and we are seeing it right here Chile’s 13 Mexico now looking for a second where golf Federation has invested in the
Game the private sector as well getting behind itent is taking three-wood hit driver yesterday yeah different strategy today wind a little more in their face going with three wood the bunker down the left 260 yards to get to that looks like a perfect line just enough to get it over the
First bunker and short of the second one Pleasant to watch I know the modern game you know kids are sort of Leaping at it jumping out of their shoes he’s as you said he little more 1960s style he just just doesn’t look like he’s ever in a
Hurry doesn’t look like he’s he’s trying to ever overpow anything just makes these nice little swings Andy I’ll tell you who the full swing reminds me of is Boo weekly just effortless doesn’t try to go at it real hard just turns it back turns it through in Perfect Balance
Every time that’s a I think that’s a good one [Applause] driving iron to keep it oh this is way left look out and how about this right here Rich Omar Morales not taking his foot off the gas has pulled driver that’s what he’s done all week Colt just aggressive play aggressive
Lines the last two t- shots with the driver have been a big push right that lucky stay in play and then the last hole was that hard hook left so you’re hoping you can make sure this goes one the direction you want it to if
It’s going to cut make sure it cuts he’s going to draw make sure it draws well it’s normally the best club in his bag so can’t blame him for going to it right in between the two tall buildings would be a great line a this is really good here he needed that
One just keeps swinging away so it is Morales and delente of Mexico tied for the lead eight underpar BS in the Masters Us open open on the line here in Panama the final round of the Latin America amateur Championship Iona got Pinto with yet another birdie opportunity sure is and a great Drive lovely little wedge shot got a bit of Back Spin so it’s perhaps a little bit longer than he wants up the hill looks good with a putter in his hand he does just just hung out there to the
Right but he’s had a really nice day 4 under par currently tied for or actually all alone in fifth place he’s coming off a fifth place finish in the South American amiter last week so he came in here with some good form he’s continued it co- leaders they’re very good
Friends they’re talking a lot yesterday I wonder if they’re talking much today sometimes it’s very difficult playing against one of your good buddies they both look like they’ve handled it beautifully so far what a great scene so many youngsters out here watching these two players may be their heroes in the next few
Years stay connected to all the Latin America amateur Championship action anywhere anytime visit laac golf.com and follow the championship on Twitter Facebook and Instagram great team hard at work one more spot left to the Masters for the amateurs chance to hang out in The Crows Nest
Crystal Lam big guy out of South Africa Georgia Tech greatly led the open at Royal Liverpool 65 day one how about what Nick Dunlap is doing right now on the PGA toward leading trying to become the first since mikkelson in 1991 to win on the PTA tour what a day for amateur
Golf somewhere Bobby he be loving this now F mayor missed it way left off the T here at 12 has one 63 and Andy this is not a personal attack but he needs to kick a field goal between these two trees his practice swings look like he’s actually going to
Think about trying to hit a big cut but he’s is going to go try to go left of the the palm tree it’s choked way down on the club have to cut this a good 30 yards it is very high at the very left side of the green that’s pretty good
From there really good nice recovery he’s scraping and clawing right now well I’ve been impressed how he’s fought these last couple of days Hastings at 13’s he’s having a spectacular day three under power for the round two under for the championship cut the back right and he hit another really good shot
Unfortunately this going to leak just through the green might be able to putt it from there he’s working on three consecutive birdies for in his last five holes back to the 12th and the final group and I love that decision off the tea to layback he’s got 99 y nice full sand
Wedge and you couldn’t ask for an easier ho location it’s going to spin off the front there a little bit of false front there Co Morales is a good 40 or 50 yards closer is it close enough he still can spin it control the shot well the
Ball sits up so nicely on these Fairways that he can put some spin on it but he’s got some helping win behind him not a whole lot of green in between the bunker and the whole location about eight Paces I think if anything he can look a little
Bit left of it there’s a slope that will get it to land a little Sofer and possibly feed it towards the hole but this is not a very easy shot would you have rather had the 100 yard shot versus this one every day all day great look Club face wide open [Applause] graas
First toll his second shot similar distance and he lifted short that had a really nice sound to [Applause] it that’s going to be 10 12T and well executed so slight opening here for Omar Morales battling with his countrymen Santiago DEA fente tied in the final round of the Latin americ amateur Championship Miguel Bokey the last hole for 70 still he played pretty well the last 18th T8 days okay for live at the 12th and surveying his butt Santiago DEA fente tied for the lead with Omar Morales let’s go down to Colt he’s got 25 ft pretty slow one coming up
The hill definitely wasn’t his best wedge shot was good punt he can roll his Rock Andy his short game is really really up to so high standards he showed us so many different types of shots around the greens and yesterday he was a little unfortunate
That he had a ton of good putts that just hit the edge of the hole and Hastings now at 13 just he going to go ahead and take sand wedge and just try to flop it just on the green oh just a little bit of Dell released a little bit closer to the
Hole so he can still make it but needed to carry that another two feet all right how about this putt Colt from Omar Morales to take the lead a decent look from about 12 to 15 ft can’t fault him for hitting that second shot a little past the hole could
Not risk dumping in the bunker but a chance for him to regain the lead and you mention Del’s round yesterday I mean he got overshadow because of what Omar was doing but I mean shot a bogey free 66 65 for Omar course record here at Santa Maria course that was built in
2012 definitely slides a little right to left good run just hangs out there again you’ve got to keep talking to yourself that man I hit a good putt I really hit a good putt he gives himself so many looks it’s just got to be frustrating to continue to burn the edge holy after
Hole has there been much conversation between these two good friends today not a lot today yeah I that’s there’s some tension out here Omar’s a little more animated in Santiago this guy’s a cool customer from okatan in Mexico furniture making capital of that country started off at Arkansas Tech division 2 two
Years ago when he was runner up at Kasa de compo he was outside the top 1,000 in the world he is now 87th and All America the University of Houston that’s the kind of improvement we’ve been talking about that these young players are you know over a year or two it’s amazing the
Jumps they’re making and there you see the sort of difference in Emotion off they go to 13 tied for the lead and that’s where we find Justin Hastings parut this is an important putt he’s gotten within one shot of third place there you go confident role he worked really hard
Justin has on the mental side the last couple of years and that’s where these guys tied for the lead will be tested they head to the 13th if you look at the 13th Andy yeah this power four is one of the best power fours on the golf course 380 483 yards
Today back into a right to left wind you got to avoid the bunkers on the left there’s a lot of room out there if you avoid those you’re still left with a fairly long approach into this back right hand corner of the Green hard to get it close there but it’s an awkward shape green anything in that back half of the green would be a good Shot and there’s a look down at this screen the whole location if you hit it a little shorten to the right the ball will bounce off that mound down closer to the hole but this is a big hole today only four birdies t-shot critical Andy for Santiago delente I
Would say this is one of the more difficult t- shots for him just because where he has to land it it’s one of the most narrow Fairways on this golf course I don’t I don’t think he can carry it into the wind over that bunker can he or
Is it right at his max yesterday he flew it right into the lip of it it’s about 272 yard to cover the wind today a little more off the right not as much hurt as there was yesterday though but there’s a ton of room out to the right
Even if you put it in the right hand rough obviously the angle to get to that back right hole would not be great but at least you wouldn’t be in that bunker and I would have to think a little extra adrenaline today might get you a couple more yards out of
It he started that down the right is it turning enough that is going to find the right rough it’s actually up on top of the hill and should be a really Flat Line not too bad yeah and it’s sitting up too how keeps the club behind him body
Rotates hands really release at the end pronounced release of the club very handsy That is some serious speed right here get his ball speed up in the 183 range that is crazy fast a 312 yd carry on that one gold it’s really not fair it definitely is not fair all right big t- shot from Moralis hit a beauty at the last
And with his power it makes the Fairway almost twice as wide can take everything out of play if it struck Solly this one up the right side needs a bounce left that catch on the C path and it is settled down into the wow that’s going to be a
Problem all right so just you see the subtle changes in the body language the facial expressions all part of it final round you’re digging trying to win an enormous Championship yeah what a spot this is in Panama you can swim in both oceans in the same day d for I for
After the nice save at 13 Justin Hastings on the 14th T par three 187 today holes located very back quadrant of the green so difficult to get it even on the green back there this one is going to be into the the right bunker it’ll be a little bit downwind
Out of that that won’t be terribly easy and Pinto has a birdie putt at 16 IA is down there yeah another Well executed hole to this point and leaves himself with an uphill pot for birdie like I say I just like the way he rolls the ball a
Really nice stroke on it old school putting style can he grab one just a little short boy he’s playing some nice golf today on a 4 under power for his round he’s made a big jump currently fifth yeah he earned his degree last year at Arkansas in political science and government 24
Years old on his way to a fourth top 15 finish at the Latin americ amateur Championship all right Cole what does Omar Morales have well he’s down here in the right rough and definitely the deepest rough on the golf course it’s very interesting Andy he is close to a
Drain which I think he definitely should call an official over and see if he can get reliev because if he does he gets to drop in a much better Li I mean it is really close to his golf ball Santiago has a pretty nice Lie from
190 and he definitely was taking a look to see where Omar’s ball was not pretty Markus killing you I can’t hear word you’re saying that is swallowed up so often the Grass Grows over the edges of those so it may be closer than it actually looks he could
Catch uh the toe of the club on that in his divot I Andy is the way I understand the rule I mean if you feel like you could possibly make contact with it you’re entitled to relief I agree and I I think he definitely should be asking somebody I’m good you’re good
Yeah hols 13 through 18 for the week Morales one over par Dela fente is one under and they’re tied set to play 190 all the way to the hole has to be looking left of this whole location anything up on that top level 30 ft left of the hole would be
Great well he’s taking it right at it they like it and we’ve seen so many shots that back here just trickle onto the back Fringe but he should be able to put putter on that be pleased with that I forget that I’m talking about young men who have no
Fear really drives his legs keeps that club angle and then just releases the hands unbelievably and there’s no tension we’ve talked about the softness in the hands all week this is really thick Colt I I’m just really shocked he’s not calling over a rules official I mean I stood over it if
You go directly at the hole there’s definitely a possibility you could catch a piece of that drain this is a this could be a career ending injury too if you catch that like we said yesterday use the rules to your advantage this one and came out hot was good
Strike that is a heck of a golf shot yes it is up onto the back Fringe he flushed that and he too will be happy with the [Applause] result high level and high stakes here the final round but that did miss the that did miss the drain very much holy
Smokes he caught that perfectly P mayor that from 175 good sound just a little left of it okay we got all three players on the back quadrant of the green all putting from The Fringe and at 14 Justin Hastings can continue this run this is one he could
Make just get it out on onto the green let it release look out get in go ahead there we go how about that give it to me four birdies in the last five holes and Hastings making a move that gets him tied for third three under bubble fight four under for the
Round just splashes it up onto the green is releasing right to left right in the middle of the hole wouldn’t have gone 4 in past the hole what a terrific play again Andy the quality of the short game play we’ve seen at the top of the field just
Exceptional sugundo Oliva Pinto at the 17th T he’s playing 176 yards today it’s beautiful part three it’s a getable flag nice play he’s got a birdie eye opportunity the sente and Cena Chile made hole in one here yesterday 17 Colt great galleries for the final
Group say what there are a lot of people out here enjoying this final round going to witness someone changing their golf life booking their trip to three major championships as well as the US Amer and the Amer those are some impressive shots right there though rich yes they were on a very difficult
Hall I mean I know they’re not on the green but all have putter out and got great looks at possibly making three I’m still just so impressed by Omar’s shot from that lie yeah not only the the sprinkler head but it was really deep and that was that
Wasn’t a nice patch of grass at all strength and speed does help as the game continues to grow across this region it’s worth pointing out you know the message we’ve heard uh from the three leading organizations this week behind the Latin America amateur Championship essentially it is
Think about not what you can get from this game but what you can give give back when you return home that’s a great message so many young people are watching Have Eyes on these players how can they help the Next Generation as they’ve been helped all right Colt how about this
Shot yeah no surprise to see him going with putter right around 35 ft it’s going to kick it pretty hard Through The Fringe to the right and then once it gets to the putting surface it will flatten out would love to just cozy this one up
There and tab it in and head over to 14 this should be fairly quick once it gets on the green can you get get the right speed coming through all this Fringe that was a good putt speed was good really good he’ll tap for his four he’s one under for the round today
Started with a three shot lead and they’re now tied rounds of 6969 and yesterday 65 and that was with a double at the 18th hole scoring conditions have loosened up over the weekend more generous setup they’ve moved some of the par 3es up create some interesting short shots
Like the one we saw back at the par 3 fifth every par three doesn’t have to be 200 yards qu mayor moving just a little bit to his left stay [Applause] high rich I think this guy’s got a lot of potential has all the speed you need
Just needs to polish up a few things and I think he could have a really nice professional career he’s only 21 play college golf at Oregon State he’s shown us some great short game over the last couple of days had some exciting finishes here at the Latin America amateur Championship
About even the very first with a Alejandro tosy chasing Dominguez in Argentina 2017 right here in Panama Neiman Alvar Ortiz coming up short in the playoff with Toto Ghana and now this for the outright lead just bounced a little on him coming through that Fringe they’ll tap they’ll remain
Tied final round 63 from Wen nean was off the charts back in Chile and then year later at casao alado Ortiz 66 lights out to win and looks like we’re in store for another memorable finish 15t Justin Hastings after the hole out from the bunker at
14 15 to par four with a good t- shot it’s a very birdal hole he likes that one who knows maybe if he runs the table well you know get in and post six under yeah have have to make the S Oliva Pinto yeah 172 yards the wind is blown like crazy at
This portion of the golf course oh man yeah he’s played some beautiful golf today yeah gusts over 20 miles per hour let’s go back to 14 final group playing 187 yards today straight back into the wind going to require something around the 200 yard range to get it all the way back there
Delente says he loves to invent [Applause] shots this Andy I think the key number here is 170 you want to fly at least 170 to get it over that Ridge that’s in the front middle part of the green I agree landed somewhere in the middle of the green and
Kind of scooted back on the ground to get it close to the hole we’ve seen so few balls actually stay in this back left quadrant of the green yeah I think if it chases back there great if not no big deal he’s taking it in low and it’s
Trying to draw but hanging a little right well that’s going to be just fine in The Fringe no more than about 25 ft from the hole that was a solid strike you could hear it right he doesn’t mind playing in the wind at all his feet moving all the way down to
His leftand foot at impact when may War this one at the very left side of the green needs to catch a piece that’s fine that’s just fine it’s on that just onto The Fringe Colt so he’ll be able to putt that but just to get it in that back
Area the green is a good shot little more Morales I think it was big for Dela to hit a really nice shot in there keep the pressure on Omar I’d have to think Omar knows Santiago’s not going to go away for this one trying to draw needs to go a
Little in that lower level in the middle of the green putting back up the hill off to the 14th green tied for the lead two players from Mexico Omar Morales and Santiago DEA fente at the Latin America amateur Championship no for so here we are beautiful Panama City in the background looks almost fake it’s so beautiful we have two men at eight under par and two at three and those are the players who are under par looks like it’s a two-man show with the last five holes to play and the
Winner will be coming from Mexico live at the 14th hole two-way tie top the leaderboard with so much riding here in Panama delente and Morales how would you assess Andy what you’ve seen so far I think both players have handled this well obviously Morales missed that one
Little short putt for birdie at 10 that sort of changed his momentum but all in all I got to believe one of these guys is going to need to make a birdie to take the lead while we wait Hastings making a move well location right at the top of
This little Ridge that runs to the middle of the green do not want to be long that is going to be a very difficult putt up the hill into the grain then it turns the other way and it gets really quick going toward the front
Of the graen he knew he hit a good shot just carried it a couple eight Paces too far Colt it is going to be a nervy finish 100% correct rich not the easiest of holes left I would say 15 is really your best birdie opportunity but you got
To get through this tough 14th first you feel the tension down there oh yeah it is it’s just an awesome atmosphere out here right now huge Gallery these guys trading shots back and forth this putt for Omar about 40 ft and it is extremely slow uphill into the Grain and back into
The wind as well Omar Morales this will be a good test to see where his nerves are really easy to come up short from here he’s backed off a lot of shots today got a great view from behind it’s gently uphill all the way to the hole into the
Grain a tiny bit of work left remember he missed a short putt earlier at number 10 now Hastings birdie put at 15 this will go up the hill very very slow now it gets quick and will go to the right easy he’s got some work left that’s
Going to be probably four to five feet back to 14 Santiago DEA fente I believe when myor is going to be first to go from the left Fringe Omar Morales had to move his Mark for him wow just a little too much Pace a little bit easier absolutely good
Players go ahead Colt that just looked like it was going to turn right in the middle that was really harsh lip out quarter of the way down think of players from Columbia obviously Camila be jagas great bounce back win late last year two weeks in a row had a chance to
Win fent from off The Fringe a put most rice right-handers love moving to his left gently the entire way just got to hit it a little bit of work left so much nicer when you don’t have to go for that coin in your pocket you just walk up and tap it
In particularly late on a Sunday D sure looks like he’s in complete control emotions really solid exactly all right little bit of a tester here for Morales and Andy you know it’s amazing how good golfers memories are when it’s something bad that happened isn’t that
The truth I mean you you never miss one of these it feels like but for some reason that put at 10 just always sneaks into the back of your mind this one might even be longer than the one was a 10 sneaks it in the right side run to the next
T So a pair of pars at the 14th four holes to go or who knows maybe more all tied R still has a little bit to clean up probably just under two feet all right tiny bit of work left for Dela fente yeah inside of two feet problem is
The Galler is starting to move over towards 15 so just keep your focus okay all right four holes to [Applause] play 15 G green this parut for Justin Hastings ran this far enough by that this is a bit of a tester oh just sort of pushed it out to the right that was
Disappointing had been four under first five holes of this back nine and now the bogie and he thought he played an iron shot that was going to be really good and it carried about two paces two far and left himself that very difficult two-putt this a moment ago from Venezuela the
Part 3 17th Jose Miguel Ramirez guessing it’s something really good oh man it was staked it Johnny Vegas would be proud from Venezuela and Segundo oliv Pinto here at 18 just chipping from the front of the green fairly straightforward took it up in the air he is currently four under power for the
Day had a great run Eagle 10 birdie 11 birdie 12 and now to 15t again all TI eight under par two from Mexico Dela fente and Morales and my opinion probably the easiest hole left out of the four remaining playing back into the wind wind starting to blow about as hard
As it has all day upwards of 20 M an hour carrying those bunkers could be a bit of a problem there’s plenty of room left of them Andy you don’t have to take them on no with the right to left wind if you can start it the left edge of the first
Bunker should be just perfect this one had it at the very left edge of that last one but perfect great t- shot gets it set drives those legs forward turns the left hip out of the way and then just releases it as freely as you can he really does release
It this one hit hard up the right sideo didn’t even think about the bunkers that was large he has great penetrating ball flight he can hit it right through the wind n Morales needs a good one he is just not very comfortable at the moment guys very fidgety
And as an opponent you definitely sense that oh that’s gorgeous right right there roped it he has driven the ball on the hole spectacularly well all week very likely the Mexican flag will be flying proudly at rounds end but in whose hands Omar Morales or Santiago DEA fente we’ll find
Out when we come back exciting conclusion at the Latin America amateur championship Here we are back at the 18th very difficult finishing call Pinto this putt for 66 oh just leaking off to the right that’s a disappointing finish it’s played so well couple of Bogies in the last six holes after the amazing start on this back n restarted Eagle birdie birdie
An all all very nice Championship as of right now that’s a tie for [Applause] fifth here’s at 17th hole Carlos ardia from Columbia chipping from just the right Fringe this 172 ydd par three this front hole location is giving up some birdies and there’s another [Applause] one nicely done good solid day
We all love Drive Chip and Putt and for more information on this exciting initiative kids age 7 to 15 with the opportunity to compete at Augusta National go to Drive Chip and pot.com for more information Sunday morning before Master’s week Saturday with Augusta National Women’s Amateur continuing to add layers
To the master story every year alar Ortiz oldest player of the field and Gustavo jakich the youngest player neither made the cut but still uh alvado announcing this would be his last Latin America amateur Championship though he will be there because he loves it so much says he’s going to be in Argentina
Supporting the tournament he led through 36 at the age of 48 when we were last here in Panama in 2017 and missed that playoff by only a shot well done oh look at the lie here Andy a little bit unlucky he’s been hitting it in the div free zones most of
The week that one is caught in the back edge of the divot they replaced the divot and it’s kind of just hanging in there it’s leaning up against the divot I would guarantee you so this will be he still can get a lot of Club on it it’s just hey focus on
Hitting the a good quality shot did F0 yards uphill live back into the wind just went with a little chip with a pitching wedge that’s awesome shot he has them all you don’t see many of the young kids hit shots like that no that’s that’s
He’s got a lot of Old World game just a little it’s almost like a long chip shots it takes all the spin off of it now we’re looking at the live Morales I’m not sure what he’s asking for it’s definitely in a divot I guess
This is the situation so if I move the other divot my [Applause] B 100% yeah yeah B up Pi up I mean I’m not even going to try yeah I mean I can’t tell you what to do but obviously from uh yeah if there’s any doubt would suggest that you uh you
Don’t yeah because like you say if that ball moves yeah when mayor will play that from just 78 yards after a drive of 310 yards into the win good shot Colt Andy I know it it’s been discussed within the sport any anybody think they should change the
Rule and allow for Relief here you know it’s been the way it’s been played for a million years um I don’t have a problem with it you know that’s part of the game you hit it in a divot have some skill and figure it out I mean I think this is
Actually shouldn’t hurt him that much coming back into this wi this will help him flight a little bit lower you’re going to try to hit get uh a shot a lot like his competitor hit in there where you’re trying to drive it in there a little bit lower and play back in your
Stance cold how about you the problem I have with people wanting to say it’s ground under repair and you should get relief is what what is actually a divot there’s going to be so many questions I mean the game already takes so long as it is if you’re calling over official
Every hole to see if you’re in a divot I just I don’t like it I think it’s part of the game it’s a tough break but like Andy said going back into the wind this might help him a little bit cuz he’s got to trap it make sure you hit ball
First caught it very clean from 106 wind hitting it hard all right caught the green just off into the Fringe deal with it and he did onward they go drama is building as they move to the 15th green Dela Fuente and Morales tied for the lead here in
The final round of the Latin America amateur Championship Andy how about that shot well that was well done you have to take it on as a challenge when you have lies like that um I think all the great players don’t mind it it’s a a great opportunity to show off a little bit you
Know hey I’ve got this shot let me go ahead and play it and I think that’s the attitude you have to have he got away with it it’s up on the green you can and here’s that second look of it you trying to just hit hit down through it get all ball
First that’s not bad you know accept that go up there and try to figure out a way to make this 25-footer for birdie you’re in the one of the toughest competitions of here’s a great look at it thank you where he’s really hitting down through
It yeah it’s worse this one if the if the old divot hadn’t been there and it had fallen into the deep hole now you didn’t have it much golf ball to be able to hit that’s where you really have some problems that one wasn’t too bad they’re looking at these birdie
Attempts up here at the 15th green probably the last great birdie opportunity yes you can birdie any of the last three holes we’ve seen players do it this week but they are definitely more difficult than this hole beautiful backdrop last four holes have a lot of condos apartment buildings Office
Buildings around them it’s going to be a great finish live at the 15th and you know Morales just playing out of that divot hole and Colt I agree with you how you deal with a bad break is a big part of the game he dealt with it
Well he really did and left it in a great spot got an 18-footer coming up the hill moving to his right with a large Gallery looking on and also some extra Gallery members up here at the high-rise peeking over good line oh my what a good putt
Man I cannot believe that didn’t break more than that he has hit a bunch of good putts today he’s got to keep telling himself that man I’m hitting some great putts I’m going to make one of these it’s a battle against yourself at this point in time shock that didn’t break a little
Bit more to the right particularly at the end good hands be careful don’t knock yourself out F mayor that was left the entire way all right so now we’ll go to the 16th hole parut for Justin Hastings trying to avoid a second straight bogy that’s cruel right there that’s the
Full horseshoe so backto back fives after having played the first five holes of this back nine in four under he’s still solo fourth one of four in red figures having a great Championship right delente now for the lead great opportunity just 10 feet not
Much in it just Hammer at home oh and he whiffed it came out of that quickly Rich his advice from his coach back at Houston Jonathan dmuk was for him to get his Focus off the expectations and enjoy this moment I would have to think over that putt right there he was thinking
About taking the lead moral still he isn’t dead he’s got still a good three feet left it’s one of those little nasty ones Andy that you almost have to start outside the hole it’s going to move to his left you got the wind going that way
As well which is starting to gust quite a bit just long enough that you really have to pay close attention to this there’s enough break in it that as you’re saying Colt if you have to start this outside the whole speed and getting the perfect speed is really important
You got that one out before it rattled her on the bottom right tie three holes to go familiar position certainly for Santiago de fente a two years ago he had a great chance the 2022 Latin America amateur championship this was to tie Aaron Jarvis 72 hole teeth of the dog Casa de
Compo and disappointment came back to finish ninth Jarvis overcoming a ball in the water at 16 to make bogey the final round and here we go and Colts Point underscoring what delon’s coach told him to just enjoy it you know happy 84th today to the alltime great Jack
Nicholas and Jack told me in an interview I did with him just a couple of weeks ago when I asked him how he handled pressure in the biggest moments he said I looked around with a few holes to go I said this is fun you have to keep
Telling yourself that even though inside you’re dying but ja handled the the big championships as well as any player has ever played how about this you know the N 18 wins 19 runnerup finishes but 73 top 10s for Jack of the majors that’s 25 more than the next best Sam sne yeah
Incred he was around Jack you you go back and look at the records he had a 17 or 18e streak in the major championships it was just ridiculous all right Del fente as Nick Dunlap said in an interview yesterday pressure is a privilege that’s a great way to look at
It it really is and Andy I’ve been in that situation just a few times where you feel like you’re going to puke every step of the way but at the end of the day you’re like damn that was fun exactly that’s why you work so hard you
Do how you handle it I mean you won two US opens you know I think I was pretty good at especially at the majors um focusing on exactly what was at hand and I had you a little game you’d play in your head that you know you you finish a
Hole okay let’s check that one off that one’s behind us let’s move on to the next one and just try to play shot by shot Hole by hole and it at the end of the day you’d hope hopefully he’d run out of holes oh that one didn’t get more than head
High that is a bullet down the left yeah it’s going to catch the left hand rough and settle down a little bit when may is solo third right now to clear of Hastings who’s sitting in fourth now Morales he had 40 yards less into this green yesterday compared to Santiago if
He can hit a good one here this would give him a massive Advantage when they go to hit their second shot here at 16 definitely got a lined left over that leftand bunker that really doesn’t come into play with the wind left to right that be a
Good oh another one very low that was not struck properly but I think he’s going to get away with it that balls in the Fairway just looks a little bit quicker today bit out of sorts just okay once in a while to neck it get it into play late
That’s what matters at this point Morales and delente the pride of Mexico here at the Latin America amateur Championship Up 280 172 yards today wind obviously that is not going where he wants it well maybe it is that that’s even more severe than Hadi when one harm comes off he had two come off and it worked out just perfectly he apologize for it yeah let’s take a look at the 16th
Hole that’s green going back toward the T here is the 16th hole par 4 52 y cards today former par five for the members that they’ve moved the tea up a little bit playing it as a par four bunkers don’t come into play the whole
Key is get it down here in the Fairway because this green is the most difficult green on the golf course to get the ball close to the hole it’s at a little bit of awkward angle there’s all kinds of bumps and bruises in this green holes cut today in the back portion very
Difficult to get it back there and keep it back there do not want to miss it right the ball runs D dramatically off the green so missing the green to the right will leave you with a really difficult up and in this whole location is very close to where it was on
Thursday and we saw so many players make bogey right at the screen Jasper stubs made some clutch putts late in his home country of Australia Royal Melbourne that was exciting what a golf course to win the asiia Pacific amateur championship and later this year we’re going to Japan the
Taio Club at goemba course right at the foot of Mount Fuji at South of Tokyo Japan the great Hideki matama won the Asia Pacific amateur twice then went on to win The Masters you see the announcement they won the master masters 10 years later Martin Slumbers on the far right chairman
Ridley and the dignitaries for that Announcement now at the 16th hole and all tied Fen mayor is at 305 behind first to play here at the par 4 ball sitting down in this left rough has 212 yds Andy this is going to take a lot of skill and a lot of luck to get it
Close judging how this ball will come out of this out of the grass is almost impossible if it lands short it can run off left short of that bunker and if it carries up around the whole location it’s gone that’s got to Landing that bowl into the upslope I believe and
Hopefully it just hits soft and get a little lucky but this one is left of the [Applause] bunker yeah down in that there’s a drain that’s where everything drains that’s going to be a little soft down there that’ll be a tough up and in it’s just so important to put your
Ball in the Fairway then you know what it’s going to do when you start guessing that leads in some indecision and not too often Omar Morales hits his approach shot before Santiago de lente he is four yards behind Santiago at 191 it’s a great opportunity for him to put some pressure
On Santiago or possibly open the door for him [Applause] this one is headed right this is no good at [Applause] all just h a little quick Andy I I think his rhythms just a little bit different than it was yesterday that Ball’s rolled down up against the edge of The Fringe
That will be very difficult up and in huge [Applause] opening 187 would have to think he’s trying to split that left bunker and this [Applause] pin this one just a little right hang on hang on oh that’s going to run down the [Applause] hill he thinks that’s on the green he
Couldn’t tell that from there at the early walk he thought he’d hit a really good shot he’s going to be really disappointed but that pitch will be much easier than morales’s yeah Morales knew it hang on ah not quite so both players will have to lean
On their short games tied for the lead here playing the 16 hole think about some notable alums from the Latin America amateur Championship W Neiman just won the Australian Open Meo Pereira was close the 2022 PGA Championship Fred Bondi NCAA individual and team champion from the University of
Florida a year ago nicoa varia won Puerto Rico open on the PGA tour last March so the talent is Flowing as it is in Asia other Japanese stars in addition to matama Kon Nakajima takumi Kaya having great success on the Japan Pro Tour almost no doubt we are going to see
Major Champions coming from the Latin region obviously Roberto D venzo and anhel Cabrera have won majors here this is what we were talking about Alejandro toasty won on the corn Ferry tour last year along with Raul Pera a rookie on the PGA tour right now Sebastian Munoz from Colombia just won a
Silver medal at the PanAm games won by player from Mexico Abraham aner yeah there’s been so many good players come through the ranks and there’s only going to be more when we saw walking nean went in Chile there were so many kids out following him it was so
Cool they have all the training now the feder all the coaching the instruction all of it is is right there and the federations are doing so much of that and give them Kudos it’s been a really a great effort on so many people’s Parts another unbelievable pitch he has been incredible
Sees with that Latin flare in the good hands The Other Two Fellas in this group would love to have that length of putt left for par RIS definitely would have the more difficult of the two wouldn’t he Colt yes no doubt about it and it’s sitting
Like half the ball is On The Fringe half the ball is against the main cut of the rough which makes it a little uneasy he has plenty of green to work with it’s just all about making that proper contact out of this tricky little L yeah
With with the grass I mean you could hit this one and have it not carry all the way to the green if you get a little bit too much grass in [Applause] [Applause] there and nice touch pretty darn well done from there that’s where you see just how solid your nerves
Are those short shots three holes to go tied the biggest championship of of your life but he’s going to have another one of those four five Footers left and you’re tested over and over and over again and see how Dela fente handles it this is as straightforward as you can
Ask for uphill the whole way perfect lie on the up slope 25% chance he could make this no doubt you’re licking your lips at the chance to possibly hold this [Applause] one oh it’s grabbed on him wow that’s the last thing he expected just now see if he can make a putt he
Just absolutely scooped it Andy yeah just desell that’s one early in the week I mean you’re getting it up and down nine out of 10 times at worst these guys are so good around the greens you can’t find an easier one than that he’s going to be first to put if he can
Make it that changes everything well he looks that over Let’s uh go to the 17th here’s Justin Hastings birdie putt let’s see if you can keep both hands in the club on this one just putting down the hill very makeable just off the edge again stay it one under for the
Championship and in Solo fourth to Dela fente every bit of six or seven feet up the hill got to make sure you give it enough speed Nails just poured it in and heat applicator right back at Omar Morales that’s the first in motion he’s given it all big time fist
Pump and he’s back locked in yeah first in is a nice deal just poured it in made some cars of that length yesterday as well now pressure back on Morales yeah a little over 3 ft on a very similar line when I think he can H
Inside the right Edge and give it a little extra speed Andy you know when the greens are a little slower and a little grainy you Mish hit it they can dive off pretty quickly yeah this is all about really solid contact here pick your line and be aggressive on that
Line you can’t be hoping him they go in now you got to make it go in two terrific up and ends yeah wow well done with all this pressure right now that is great work by both gentlemen standing up to the pressure they head to the par three 17th tied at eight under
Par still a little bit of work to get the third great up and in on this hole I thought good sportsmanship by Dela fente wait for f mayor to finish misses rather than head to the the next T that’s really disappointing all right so quen mayor is now one ahead of
Hastings so he’ll third he’ll drop to two under Hastings one hold ahead it’s one under now you sure didn’t expect that I wonder if there was just a little lack of focus people are moving and and here’s what they’re playing for invitation to the Masters the US open at Pinehurst in June the
152nd open at Royal trun in July the amateur and Ireland at belly lifet and the 124th us Amer at hazeline National it’s a life changer let’s not get hit going to the next hole there are some fairly lengthy walks for the players out here and here we’re
Going to the 17th 172 yards today we move the tea up giving the players a front hole location it’s in a spot where you can definitely with a good iron shot you definitely can set up a birdie it’s fairly flat around this hole just carryed three four yards on the green
And give yourself a shot shot at a birdie wind helping 10 birdies already to today 10 Bogies I was talking to one coach and he let me know that quite a few players came in a couple of weeks ago here to Santa Maria to play practice rounds and
Essentially because what we saw he said there’s just too much at stake now it’s just smart you you come in here as well prepared as you possibly can so many the players have talked about that that’s all they’ve thought about for the last month and all their practice has been
Dedicated to trying to figure out a way to win this thing Hastings at 18 whole location sort of the middle left portion of the green after a perfect t- shot this is very doable beautiful shot a nice way to finish up the week with a couple of great swings
Now let’s see if he can knock it in finish this day at 67 all right Colt here we are 17 All Tied what a finish we have on our hands right here guys tough little par three though 172 with some helping wind off the left 164 covers the front edge in
Line well I think that’s the number Colt try to land it just on the front probably eight iron maybe nine I agree I think if you’re in between you air on the long side here I think just being 30 40 ft past the hole is better than being in the front bunker here
Absolutely this on a really nice line he’s posing oh my goodness what a shot Santiago delente at 17 shot of his life right there guys absolutely no reaction at all he is absolutely locked in right now what a shot there another look never left the flag stick landed
Just pass it what a terrific Play Take that good sportsmanship the acknowledgement yeah great shot he really moves his body well gets out of the way and then just releases his hands I love his game as we’ve talked very old school just love his attitude how he
Reacts to good things and bad things let’s see how Omar Morales responds now had two clubs out which tells me he’s probably a little bit in between here but these players pay attention Andy they saw he saw how soft that ball landed so he knows he can take dead aim
This one a little left fading towards it carried it a good 25 ft by the hole he’s going to have a long birdie opportunity some of the best deep sea fishing in the world right here in Panama Santiago Dela fent is trying to
Reel in a big one of his own a dart at 17 tap in birdie right down to the wire here at the Latin America amateur championship Chip me okay we’re back to 17 Mato Finn mayor with his 172 he’s just seen one terrific iron and one average and he comes up with a terrific one what a shot after the bogat the last hole and let’s go back a look at which could be our leader with one
Hold to play what an iron great at it never left the flag stick what a play and boy we’ve got a exciting next 15 minutes now Hastings for his birdie at 18 can he get this one to go in pretty straight yeah beautiful good [Applause] birdie and we’re looking down at the
17th after those two fantastic shots Omar Morales with the long birdie opportunity the other two players with basic tap-ins I think they’re going to wait and now Omar Morales who’s literally led the entire Championship Andy I would have to think he got caught in between clubs back
There made the smart decision hitting it a little past the hole but he’s got 30 feet coming down the hill knows that Santiago DEA wi’s pretty much got a guaranteed birdie he’s going to have to give this one a go you just can’t get carried away
And you know try so hard to make it even hit it 5 six feet by the hole he’s still have to have great speed go through your normal routine try to hit the putt you would hit if this was the first hole hey we still have some golf left
You can be one down with one to play we’ve seen a number of twoos shot swings today yeah we had three of them on the front line alone back here our two guys fighting for the lead have made made one birdie in all pars we’re going to see the second
Birdie here in just a moment I followed him three of the four days that being Omar Morales and other than the eagle putt at 11 really hasn’t made a putt of any significant length so now would be a great time Andy oh no kidding as he’s told us he doesn’t feel
Like this is the strength of his game but he’s worked hard to get better you saw him make a nice putt not anywhere near this length but maybe 2third this length back at seven on the front nine but this length of putt there’s no thought about your stroke or anything
It’s just let’s read it free it up and try to roll it in he’s giving it plenty of pace boy look out yeah to be one down is just fine to be two is a whole another story you don’t want yet another two- shot swing we’ve had
Several well I I think that’s the tendency for s so many young players is that you’re so intent on trying to make it you still have to pick the proper speed I mean this is still this a good five feet Cole yeah he has not lost his turn every bit of five
Feet this might be the championship here obviously we saw what happened yesterday at 18 Morales made double missed this and he’s two down Jam dad nervously watching his heart rate might be at an all-time high right now that’s an important part of this understanding how you react under this
Pressure when your heart gets going how can you slow it down get everything calmed down that’s as much part of this as anything else excellent beautifully done that that shows you something but the lead he has had a vice grip on for just about all of this Championship about to be gone nice
Birdie F mayor and now Dela fente for the lead I mean this is inside a two feet Rich this is basically G chance to take a one shot lead to the 18th hole he was six shots behind standing on this fairy T yesterday made Birdie on Saturday and now again on
Sunday and he has the lead as he walks to the 72 hole five under for his round today Steely eyed he’s done everything he could possibly do to get this lead let’s go back and look at that t- shot yet again what a shot this was never left the flag
Stick not done yet but good chance to be the shot of the championship knocking down flag sticks here at Santa Maria in Panama Dela fente now nine under par one shot lead for his fellow Countryman Omar Morales Dusty winds one pressure one goal on this shot is to get it in the
Fairway if you wanted to hit three-wood you surely could he he grabbed his driver I think that’s a a good club for him here and the wind is as strong as it’s been all week right now down off the players left went with three-wood yesterday going with the big
Dog just hammered it and snatched the tea out of the ground I mean just stepped up and ripped it rich that was beautiful he is meeting the moment in a memorable way yeah deep breath next shot one mayor he’s going with the driving iron hit a couple of these well off line this
One’s headed right got a nice soft bounce though should stay in play it’s it’s running down the oh my it’s still running down the path needs to get off here soon so huge t- shot where Omar Morales one shot back going with three-wood today and I think that’s mostly because of this stronger
Helping win that’s what made that drive by DEA fente so impressive just played this whole three over this week shot making under pressure splits the Fairway they’re trying to travel the same road as last year’s winner Mato Fernandez D Ola from Argentina we were in Puerto Rico what a
Championship he had and after the victory we followed Matteo on his journey through the major championships of 2023 when I was walking down the fway coming into the green I almost got in tears from now on basically my life has changed that will do it Mato Fernandez de Ola of Argentina has won the 20123 Latin America Amer Championship everything is so motivational the am dinner all the
Practice rounds the part three I mean competing against the best of the world everything is just so motivating that I’m really looking forward to it I know firsthand that there’s a lot more here this week than just the pros it’s about what we’re celebrating here Tonight I’m very excited to get the week started I’m trying to enjoy every second that I get to play so I really want want to get started but I also want to enjoy for me it’s like a dream I don’t I can’t believe it but he is here it’s
Magic It’s Magic I think it’s better than everything I watch in TV it seems that you are that you are dreaming I don’t think there’s anything that comes close to the Masters I’ve been dreaming about playing the Masters all my life and now I have the chance to do it so I
Think it just motivates every single golfer in the region to get better and to be ready for that week so that they can have their life Chang Too you love what matta’s Dad said better than what you see on TV it seems like a dream it will be a reality for one of these two young men from Mexico Augusta National Pinehurst number two Royal trune in the open the Amer and the 124th US amateur at Hazel te National amateur
Game always been so crucial going back to the greatest amateur of the mall Bobby Jones here they are let’s go down to Colt both uh impressive to say the least off the te under the circumstances beautiful t- shots Omar Morales caught a little bit
Of a bad break picked up some mud on his golf ball I don’t think it’s going to be too big of a factor but obviously makes you puts a little doubt in the back of your mind he’s going to be first to go he has 172 compared to Santiago Who’s down here at
[Applause] 140 R’s three-wood landed a little bit on the up slope and stopped so quickly he has to hit a good shot here there’s no two ways about it has to give himself a great birdie opportunity and apply the pressure all right here we go 172 wind a little down off the
Left Andy this is where the best in the World know how to control their adrenaline and dial in the best golf swing they’ve made all week yeah we’ve got a good look at the mud there’s enough mud there to cause this ball to come out a little bit
Sideways well he struck it beautifully it’s right at it seems to like it yeah he’s going to love it beautiful play that’s a classy shot was in a divot hole mud on ball whatever the golfing gods are throwing at him two he’s battling it all going have a chance here you know he’s
Won under par today he’s played an awful lot of good shots played a really good round of golf F has just caught him because he’s 5 under taking the lead exactly F mayor now has one has 140 out of this round right hand rough this ball launched way up in the
Air obviously a jumper that is well over the [Applause] green that’s going to be a really really hard up and in all right how about this shot for Santiago I mean it’s everything you dream of Rich you got got in the dead center of the Fairway just 140
Left little bit of a downhill eye C you think with all the wind swirling around back around those buildings he’ll come in here a little bit lower like the shot he played at 15 that type of shot I do hand off this downhill eye just driving it in there nice and
Low fading towards it beautiful shot two great iron shots in the last two holes with all the pressure of the world on him and Morales will have to make and that may not even be good enough the two class players of the field have shown us why they
Are I think there’s a good chance we’re going to see both in the years to come at the highest levels of the game excited to go back to Buenos Ares for the 2025 Latin America amateur Championship where it all began in 2015 P Golf Club January 16th Andre Shon bom
President of the Argentina Golf Association and a proud moment for country with Rich history in the game hats off as well to mark lorri uh for so long at the heart of golf in Argentina now the director Latin America and Caribbean for the RNA RNA continuing
To uh do so much work around the world Women’s Amateur Latin America coming up African amateur in March women’s Asia Pacific amateur right around the corner in Thailand all from the RNA and before we get to these two critical putts I really want to thank the master the RNA
The usj for all the work they’ve done working together to create this amazing Championship that is changing lives in this part of the world yeah we hear the phrase thrown around a lot growing the game not just a slogan for those organizations they have soft spikes on the ground here around the
World all right let’s bring in Colt to set it up rich right before Santiago deante hit that shot I’ve noticed he reached into his right pocket and he pulled out this card and I’ve seen him do it a few times today he has a card in his right pocket
On it that says believe and he stared at it right before he walked into that approach shot here at 18 a very difficult shot from Over the screen to throw it up in the air boy he’s showing us some shots you know and it’s hard playing in
This last group when you know you don’t have a chance you just just want to make sure you don’t get in their way and he has really pulled off some beautiful shots when he’s needed them he needs to make that putt to finish solo third so it’s very important to him
Too all right how about this putt from Morales and he has to have it left it in a really good spot coming down the hill so should have to worry too much about getting it there and it’s going to move to his left as well but one he knows he’s got to have
Or else Santiago de FTE can just T put his way to Victory just an incredible scene though here at 18 Rich this Fairway is lined good five six people deep the whole way down there a lot of balconies behind you that have a lot of people sitting out
Watching too this a great scene golf Catching Fire all over Latin America can you make possibly the most important putt you’ve ever had just this is why you you build a good routine you get your line you you set up you do all the things you try to do the
Same way so that when you get in this situation you can just go through that free yourself up hit a nice putt see if it can go in all right must make Omar Morales seen that throughout the day the wind’s a little Gusty all right get go through your routine just pour it
In it have enough it perfect line oh yeah just hit it oh he made all pars on the back nine just can’t believe you can leave a short going down the hill a round of 69 for Omar Morales began with a three- shot lead run down by Santiago DEA fente who now needs
Just two pods from relatively short range to win the championship finish up the right we knock this thing in delente spectacular final round of 6 under 64 Santiago delente has won the 2024 Latin America amateur Championship put it right there with what we saw from Wen nean 63 final round
To win in Chile in 2018 where what we saw from his countryman avado Ortiz 5 years ago a teeth of the dog a 66 on Sunday to win how about 6664 on the weekend amazing golf it’s calm and cool for 18 holes and now he has earned
The right to let it all out and we have enjoyed watching Matteo Fen mayor as well from Colombia lot of flare in his [Applause] game was college coach described him as the team comedian but also the hardest worker he brings people together he’s mature great deal of
Creativity and we saw all of that on display a wonderful [Applause] champion [Applause] how nice to share it with your [Applause] brothers second Latin amateur championship for Mexico mentioned albad Ortiz in 2019 this the way to finish it Andy how about how he played the last two holes perfect
Iron perfect Drive perfect second a perfect butt that’s how you become a champion the put at 16 after the poor chip Stone the iron at 17 he birdied 17 two consecutive days flushes the drive at 18 with all the pressure Makes Three Hats Off to Omar
Morales didn’t go his way it’s uh hard to argue with rounds of 69 69 65 and [Applause] 69 Santiago DEA fente hope to see him you know for many years to come an announcer’s dream because love to say that name stio DEA fente been a lot of people that need to learn that name he can really play right you you you never know what’s going to
Happen in the years ahead but you you sort of also know it when you see it he has a little something doesn’t he yeah he he might have it whatever that is he he he’s got a caless about him he kept his composure unbelievably well until
The last one one in then you can let it all out yeah that’s how you get it done that’s a moment they will hold on to for the rest of their days one bogey 11 birdies the last 36 holes that’s how you win championships every bit as exciting hey
He’s coming okay okay as the first Latin americ amateur championship in Panama seven years ago that was a playoff won by Toto Ghana over alado Ortiz of Mexico and walk Neeman we will have the Trophy presentation when we come back after a thrilling day final round 64 Santiago
DEA fente of Mexico has won the Latin America amateur championship what a Day for for the Latin America amateur Championship is brought to you by Delta Airlines Delta keep claiming PRM science applied to life and Rolex this is what Champions do tied with two holes to play delente at the 172 yd Par 3 17 bang jams it in there tap in birdie and a on shot lead going to 18 and then after terrific Drive good second shot finish it off birdie birdie
And a round of 64 after 66 on Saturday it is a whole new world for Santiago DEA fente dad herard bought him set of Snoopy golf clubs when he was 3 years old and Santi said that’s where I fell in love about where this game can take
You from Mexico to these great spots let’s go down to John Sutcliffe 600 thank you very much it’s a big day for Mexican golf Martin Slumber CEO of the RNA just describe this back nine all these crowds what it means for the RNA and for all the
Entities well I mean I think this is the best crowds we’ve seen for an laccc um you know the atmosphere out there was very it was very exciting and uh people were very well uh behaved in terms of keeping calm and we watched two guys play some unbelievable Golf and they
Pushed each other right to the very end and uh I was standing behind 17 green when he hit that shot into I don’t know foot or two um and uh I think it’s been really good for the game I think they’ve done themselves proud and it’s great for
Uh it’s great for the game of golf the message this week from the Masters RNA in the USGA give back to the game that has given you so much why is that message so important this week I I think the game the game is far more than just
A championship the game is about values it it gives it creates Integrity it creates friendships it creates personal accountability all skills that are so important to life and and if we don’t give back you know we’re not taking the game to the Next Generation and there’s now a 100 million people around the
World playing consuming Golf and our ambition is to keep growing that and we’re growing on the back of it being values driven what’s going to be your next responsibility after the RNA maybe sideline reporter working on course K Martin Slumbers what would you like to
Do on your next phase well I I’m going to finish out this year I’ve still got you know the Open Championship and the AIG women’s open at St Andrews um I think your job I’ve watched it it’s far too hard work you know um so I I’ll
Leave it to the experts to to do that and uh I think I’ll join the thousands of people who think they can still improve their golf game maybe play some golf more often huh I hope to play some more golf yes Senor Martin Slumber CEO of the RNA muchas gracias back to you
Rid mart martin is a fine player and under his stewardship uh the game has enjoyed growth around the world well done Martin Slumber so DEA fente now the second Mexican Champion here at this tournament albar Ortiz teeth of the dog um with a a final round U that would reminiscent of
Uh what we saw here today and here’s how he finished the round needed only two putts but let’s do it with one and he just let it out after sort of holding his emotions appropriately in check all day he was all business and then all good [Applause] feels
Good feels good times and let’s go down now to Iona Steven thanks Rich I am so pleased to say I’ve been joined by our newly crowned Champion just by the 18th green Santiago many congratulations what a week what a performance and it really has been a true celebration of amateur
Golf this week but in the end of the day you have come out on top can you explain how proud you’re feeling of this achievement right now I don’t think there’s been any better moment in my life so far I’m very happy I mean the work I’ve done to get ready for this
Week during couple months after what happened in Dominican Republic and I been just grinding and trying to think and visualize myself winning this event and right now I I can say I did it you certainly did but it wasn’t an easy task you started the day three shots back and
So with every thing that’s on the line this week it was always going to be a big ask and it turned into quite a dingdong battle with your countrymen standing on the 16th te with three holes left to play you had tied yourself for the lead and you managed to produce a
Birdie birdie finish how did you do that how were you composing your emotions give us an idea of what you were feeling I I definitely I knew this wasn’t going to be easy I know Omar since were 9 years old and I know how good of a
Player he is so I knew I had if I wanted to win this I had to battle all the way to the last Hall so I did you certainly did and now young man your 2024 schedule is looking a okay three of the four men’s Majors you are heading to the
Masters the US Open the open how excited are you for this opportunity not a bad summer right um just very happy I mean this is a great opportunity the one we have in here every year playing the Latin America amateur championship and just happy to be the champion this year well
The time has come I’m pleased to say to get your hands on that wonderful trophy the prestigious title is yours and to do that we have Neil farers chairman of the [Applause] RNA wonderful fabulous scenes here a deserving winner and with that back to you rich okay well done Iona got to know
Santi the last last couple of years great Champion outstanding young man about all the right things going to Augustine ashal and then to pineur for the US Open Royal trun west coast of Scotland for the 152nd Open Championship there it is postage stamp hole and as well the amateur championship and the US
Amateur we owe a great deal of thanks to our wonderful hosts here in Panama long ways from Scotland and There It Is Well earned Andy me he went and got the job done you almost ha to see a loser the way that the two players played over the
Last two rounds playing with each other but what a great finish felt like one of the players was going to have to go out and win it and he did it you think about those am we we listed that are headed to Augusta National including Nick Dunlap who’s on
The C but winning on the PGA tour this weekend I I think Santi has a chance at some of these championships to be the low amateur he has that kind of game Moxy and we know he has the nerve uh I you know and making the cut in the major
Championships I mean this is a player that’s got a lot of talent uh he’s worked extremely hard and he’s been here before and I just loved how he handled himself over over the last 36 holes he kept just playing stating in his own little bubble and at the end he got it
Done yeah country of Panama’s two for two in delivering of Epic championships that’s great shot right [Applause] there so you know the folks here in Panama we owe an awful lot to Tito Matta and his group here at Santa Maria the Duran family we enjoyed having Miguel ordones and Omar
Taha from Panama both in this field in the commentary box yeah they it was great having them in here they added so much gave us a little bit of local flavor of how things got done here and what a great champion and again we the Masters irna and the usj have
Accomplished y can’t wait for Argentina next year um great thanks as well to Masters tournament chairman Fred Ridley the dedicated members of Augusta National to Martin Slumbers chief executive of the RNA for all the work they continue to do around the world to Mike Juan and Fred perpa of the USGA for
Their commitment to raising the standards of championship play to producer sellers shy director Mike Crow Libby Graham as well leading all of the hardworking women and men in the truck and on the ground and for Andy North Colt no Iona Steven and John Sutliff I’m rich learner so long from Panama City
Panama where Santiago Dela fente has won the Latin America amateur championship
3 Comments
Estaba esperando el vídeo final
Gracias!!
Bien Santi!!
Gran cierre y gran temple😎👍🏻 orgullosamente ocotlense, bien Santi!!
Me encantó la definición fue para el infarto 😅