Justin Hastings celebrates winning the 2025 Latin America Amateur Championship on the No. 18 green with his father and caddie. – Photo: LAAC
Cayman’s Justin Hastings won the Latin America Amateur Golf Championship in Argentina on Saturday, earning himself a golden ticket to the big time.
The victory wins the 21-year-old a place at the three biggest tournaments in golf this year.
Hastings held on by his fingernails to win by a single stroke at the prestigious regional tournament, shooting 16 under-par.
He follows in the footsteps of his teammate Aaron Jarvis who made history in 2022 by winning the tournament and becoming the first Caymanian ever to compete at the US Masters and the Open Championship.
Hastings’ victory means he will line up against greats of the game, including Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods in the US Masters and the Open Championship later this year.
Since Jarvis’ victory in 2022, a place in the US Open has been added to the prize list for the Latin America tournament, meaning Hastings will make his own little piece of history as the first golfer from these islands to compete on that stage.
Justin Hastings of The Cayman Islands lifts the Latin America Amateur Championship trophy. Photo: LAAC.
With bad weather at the Pilar Golf Club in Buenos Aires meaning the final two rounds were condensed into a single day, Hastings produced a memorable 36 holes to claim a famous win.
He made eight birdies in his opening round of the day to lead by four shots going into the final round. And he held his nerve amid an impressive fight back from Peru’s Patrick Sparks to claim the title in a battle that went to the final hole in the declining light.
Hastings, who first competed in this tournament as a 14-year-old, was one of three Caymanian golfers, also including Andrew and Aaron Jarvis, to compete at the event this weekend.
Hastings celebrates with the Jarvis brothers in Buenos Aires after holding on to secure the win by a single stroke. – Photo: LAAC
The regional championship has provided a platform to propel some of the best amateur golfers to the big time. Aaron Jarvis was just 19 when he put the islands on the golfing map with his win in 2022, going on to make the cut at the Open Championship.
Now Hastings’ victory cements Cayman as one of the dominant forces in the sport in the region.
