The third and final day of the St Andrews Links Collegiate event saw Northwestern University and the University of Arizona crowned men's and women's champions respectively at the Old Course.

The second running of the trans-Atlantic tournament saw the University of St Andrews represent the UK against Northwestern, Arizona and Howard University - the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to take part.

Two days of individual strokeplay on the Jubilee Course at St Andrews resulted in Northwestern's Ashley Yun winning the women's event and Arizona's Zach Pollo being crowned men's champion.

And it was the same two colleges who were left to fight it out for the team titles on the final day with a matchplay competition on the Old Course played in some traditional Scottish autumn weather with plenty of rain.

In the men's event, Northwestern took the spoils with a 4.5-1.5 victory, but Arizona came out on top in the women's competition as they grabbed the trophy by the same 4.5-1.5 scoreline.

Perhaps tellingly given the conditions, the Northwestern men's team contained three Scots in the form of Cameron Adam, Atchie Finnie and Nial Shiels-Donegan, while head coach David Inglis also originates from Edinburgh.

“It’s very special and any time you are lifting a trophy in St Andrews it’s very meaningful," said Inglis. "Ultimately, this is what we were playing for, to get into the championship match and win on the Old Course.

"We’re just thrilled obviously and for Cameron Adam in particular because his parents have never come over to the States to watch him play so for them to see him play and hole the winning putt for us to win was pretty special.”

Arizona women’s head coach Giovana Maymon was full of praise for her players as they battled through conditions not exactly what they usually play in back home in the desert.

“My players had such a fight all day and I couldn’t be more proud of them," said Maymon. "At the beginning of the year we said we were going to be the toughest team out here, regardless of the conditions and that’s what they were today.

"We knew we had to enjoy it and appreciate where we are but also compete and do our best. What this event does for college kids is just unbelievable and I hope everybody gets to appreciate this.”

Home advantage counted for St Andrews as the men's and women's teams both beat their counterparts from Howard to grab third place in both events.

“First and foremost, what an event this has been," said St Andrews head coach Ian Muir.

"We’re really lucky that we are the University of St Andrews and we get to do this all the time in the Home of Golf. There’s always pressure being the home team but we’ve got eight new players so there’s quite a bit of newness in the team.

"It’s been a really good benchmarking exercise for them to understand where they are as a golfer and how they can improve. It’s been brilliant."

Those sentiments were echoed by head coach Sam Puryear of Howard, whose golf team was only established in 2019 with the support of NBA star Steph Curry.

“At the end of the day, just being here is a win," said Puryear. "The students got an experience that I promise you they will never ever forget for the rest of their lives. They played exceptionally well, I’m so proud of them.

"It was a competitive match and we had multiple kids under par who really gave themselves a chance in some close matches.”

The early rankings are out in the NCAA Division 1 golf competitions as the best college golfers around start their quest to become national champions.

It's been a fast start for a trio of Texas Longhorns in the men's competition, while a couple of Arkansas Razorbacks are at the sharp end of the women's individual standings - helping their school to a healthy lead in the team ranking.

NCAA Div 1 Men's Team Rankings

Oklahoma won the Ben Hogan ahead of Texas and defending national champions Auburn, who sit in third in the early stages of the 2024/25 season.

The Longhorns sit in sixth despite having three players in the individual top 10 of the standings, with Ole Miss in second overall after winning one and finishing runners-up in the other two of their three events so far.

Arizona State, despite losing star amateur Wenyi Ding after he decided to turn pro, sit fourth and Louisiana State round out the top five.

NCAA Div 1 Women's Team Rankings

Arkansas have opened up a nice early lead in the rankings after winning the Blessings Collegiate Invitational strokeplay event and then finishing second in the Carmel Cup. The Razorbacks have two of the top four in the individual standings.

The University of South Carolina are second with defending national women's champions Stanford in third - the Cardinal having won both of their tournaments so far - the Molly Collegiate Invitational and the Matchplay at Twin Warriors.

NCAA Div 1 Men's Individual Rankings

University of Texas Freshman Daniel Bennett is the early college No.1 golfer after the South African finished third in his debut event - the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational.

Bennett is one of three Longhorns in the top 10 of the early standings, alongside Christiaan Maas and Tommy Morrison in seventh and eighth respectively.

Spain's first ever US Amateur champion Jose Luis Ballester is second in the standings, having also won the Fighting Illini Invitational at Olympia Fields.

North Carolina's David Ford won the Ben Hogan, as one of five players in the top six to pick up early season victories.

Reigning NCAA Div 1 champion Hiroshi Tai is down in 78th in the current standings after the Junior at Georgia Tech produced a poor display at the Ben Hogan finishing near the bottom of the field on 14 over.

NCAA Div 1 Women's Team Rankings

Arkansas' Maria Jose Marin tops the standings after a win and a second in her opening two events, with second-placed Grace Kilcrease the only player to beat her so far.

The World No.1 Amateur Lottie Woad is only down in 12th, but World No.2 Julia Lopez Ramirez sits in third in the college standings, with Jasmine Koo (World No.3) just creeping into the top 10.

The USC Freshman grabbed her maiden victory at the Windy City Classic, coming just after playing for the USA at the Curtis Cup.

Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup player Hannah Darling from Scotland is in fifth with defending women's national champion Adela Cernousek in eighth.

Get the full individual and team rankings on Scoreboard here.

Since its creation in 2017, the Elite Amateur Golf League (EAGL) has come a long way in developing a platform where golf clubs can showcase their finest talent as well as their courses in a thrilling Champions League style competition. With the majority of golf clubs only having a couple of scratch tournaments each season, this is an opportunity for the better players to play against similarly skilled players from other clubs, no shots given. No matter your age or gender, the Elite Amateur Golf League works on the principal that if you are good enough, you play. This competition will see some of the best men and women amateurs play for their respective clubs in order to lift the Elite Amateur Golf League title come the end of the season.

Founders of the Elite Amateur Golf Group, Alex Cooper and Will Goy, noticed a gap in the U.K club golf scene, where the lower handicappers from respective clubs can play competitive golf in a friendly environment, all while playing courses in their own and neighbouring counties that they may not have had the chance to play. What started out as just 12 teams competing in 2017, has turned into 105 teams across 20 of the southern counties in England, with the idea that the league will host 400 teams across the country by 2028. The entry fee of £275 payable by each club is all that is required to enter, with the travelling team for each game receiving courtesy of the course to play in the match. Considering the stature of the clubs in this competition, that’s a phenomenal deal considering what a green fee would cost at many of the clubs each team will travel to.

We recently visited Hindhead Golf Club, Surrey, for one of the group stage games between Hindhead and local title contenders Bearwood Lakes. Needless to say, both of these clubs boast an abundance of talent on their five-man teams, with both sets of players and team captains relishing the opportunity to play against each other in this unique competition. These two clubs are part of arguably the strongest group in the competition that features Liphook, West Sussex and Blackmoor. 

What sets this competition apart is the format. The group stages are made up of five teams, who all play two matches at home and two away, with the winner of the group advancing to the trophy knockout competition and the runner-up advancing to the plate competition. Having the plate competition is huge in an event like this as it really stretches out the season and gives these top golfers a chance to keep playing against each other and at other clubs, rather than being eliminated at the first hurdle.

As well as the most prestigious golf clubs that are competing, premium brands are getting involved and sponsoring the EAGL. The likes of TaylorMade, Motocaddy and Travis Mathew have all put pen to paper and signed deals to support the league, clearly recognizing the potential of this popular competition. Substantial prizes are up for grabs in the finals of both the trophy and plate competition, while EAGL stamped TP5 golf balls are handed out to competitors on the first tee - a nice touch and one that made us want to play!

Reahgan Quartermaine, Bearwood Lakes Captain discussed his clubs ambition to play in the EAGL. "The chairman - Gary Holloway and Director of Golf - Mike Shrieve, recognised the desire to challenge an increased low WHS memberships with many entering prestigious competitions across BB&O and further afield. Entering the EAGL has been a good opportunity to compete as a team in a singles, scratch matchplay within a league format. Furthermore, it has been a pleasure to play against like-minded opponents and build friendships, especially when playing the reverse fixture," said Reahgan.

"The club has always had a strong fixture calendar against established clubs across the South region within the junior, men’s and ladies' section," he added.

There were plenty of smiles and serious faces on the first tee and throughout the round between the Hindhead and Bearwood Lakes players as they made their way around the tight heathland layout. The home advantage proved to be a little too much for the travelling Bearwood Lakes team to handle on this occasion and a close fought battle ended with the Hindhead team taking the win 4-1, in what was their first game of the season.

Despite the first league games having recently just been played, we look forward to keeping our eye on which of the prestigious clubs in this group makes it through into the knockout phases of the Elite Amateur Golf League. Could it be that one of the two clubs we followed here that go on to be crowned champions in December? We'll have to wait and see.

If you think you're club may be interested in playing in the Elite Amateur Golf League, entries for 2024 are now open and with the league expanding to 160 teams, the competition is set to be stronger than ever. Entry in 2024 will be £300 and will provide each club the chance to be apart of this fast growing, competitive, amateur scratch golf competition in the U.K. For more information and how to enter, visit the Elite Amateur Golf Group website.

17-year-old Abel Gallegos of Argentina won the Latin America Amateur Championship in Mayakoba, Mexico and will play in this year’s Masters and The 149th Open Championship.

Abel Gallegos of Argentina won the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) by four shots from Mexico’s Aaron Terrazas over the El Camaleon course at Mayakoba.

The 17-year-old Argentinian completed a superb final round of 67 to finish the tournament on four-under-par, claim the sixth LAAC and earn a place in both the US Masters and The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s.

Gallegos is the first player from Argentina to win the LAAC after five previous instalments of the tournament.

"It was a great day, I felt the pressure this morning but I was playing well," he said. "And everything seemed to work for me today, it just went my way!"

In far calmer conditions than on the first three days in Mayakoba, Jose Vega of Colombia began the final round with a two-stroke lead over Gallegos.

But the Argentinian quickly drew level as Vega dropped a shot at the opening hole and Gallegos birdied the 3rd.

Both men picked up a stroke at the par-5 5th before Gallegos moved in front with another gain on the 7th.

When he got to the top of the board, Gallegos stayed there for the rest of the round.

Although he dropped a stroke on the 14th, he closed out the win in some style with a birdie on the final hole.

Gallegos plays on a nine-hole course back in Argentina and this is the first time he has participated in the LAAC.

"This is something incredible for my home town and my home club, all the people there." he said, "I dedicate this win to them."

A powerful ball-striker with a great touch, Gallegos looks to have all the skills necessary to cope well with the challenges posed by Augusta and Royal St George’s.

Gallegos competed in the 2018 R&A Junior Open in St Andrews and finished in a tie for fifth place.

"Yes, I've played in St Andrews before so I have had the experience of links golf," he said "It's very different and you have to adapt but playing there (St George's) with the best professionals is going to help me a lot."

Gallegos intends to pursue a career as a professional golfer and will look to follow in the footsteps of 2018 LAAC winner Joaquin Niemann who is currently just outside the top-50 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

In winning the sixth LAAC, Gallegos receives an invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and, for the first time, he qualifies automatically for The 149th Open at Royal St George’s.

Gallegos also receives full exemptions into The Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship and is exempt into the final stages of qualifying for the 120th U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot.

“It’s incredible, like being in a dream right now,” said Gallegos. “It’s what every kid dreams of, to play The Masters and The Open. I can’t believe it.”

Home player Aaron Terrazas also closed with a 67 to climb into runner’s up position.

The 22-year-old came home in 33 to end the week on level par.

As runner-up Terrazas is exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The 149th Open and the 120th U.S. Open Championship.

"I'd been thinking I would turn professional so I will now have to let every sink in and decide what is the best route for me," said Terrazas.

There was disappointment for Colombia’s Jose Vega who had led the event through 36 and 54 holes.

He three-putted the 72nd green to drop out of a share for second place and to miss out on a share of the runner’s up prizes available this week.

Ivan Camilo Ramirez, also of Colombia, ended the week in fourth spot with Chilean Gabriel Morgan Birke in fifth.

The 2021 LAAC will be contested at Lima Golf Club in Lima, Peru.

LAAC Final Leaderboard

1 Abel Gallegos (Arg) -4 2 Aaron Terrazas (Mex) E 3 Jose Vega (Col) +1 4 Ivan Camilo Ramirez (Col) +4 5 Gabriel Morgan Birke (Chi) +5 T6 Benjamin Saiz-Wenz +6 T6 Julian Perico (Per) +6 8 Segundo Oliva Pinto (Arg) +7 T9 Lukas Roessler (Chi) +8 T9 Emilio Gonzalez (Mex) +8

Jose Vega of Colombia leads the Latin America Amateur Championship through 54-holes. He sits on two-under-par after three rounds in Mayakoba, Mexico.

LAAC Round 3: Jose Vega leads through 54 holes

Colombia’s Jose Vega leads the Latin America Amateur Championship by two shots from Abel Gallegos of Argentina with one round to play at the El Camaleon course at Mayakoba in Mexico.

With the wind blowing even harder at times than on the first two days, Vega was in impressive control of his game on the front nine and he then scrambled brilliantly after the turn to stay in front.

Although he opened the day with a bogey, Vega regained that stroke with a birdie on the par-5 5th.

Displaying the sort of shot shaping and low ball-flight one normally associates with links golf, the 26-year-old reached the turn in level par 36 before picking up a shot on the par-3 10th.

Vega who graduated from Bellevue University in 2015 looked to be in serious trouble on the 11th hole after driving into the jungle.

But he pitched out then stuck his third to within a few feet and saved par.

The 26-year-old, who works as a sales manager for TrackMan, found more trouble at the 12th, clipping a tree with his second shot.

Once again though he escaped with par after a superb pitch from 60 yards short of the green.

The errors caught up with the Colombian on the 13th.

He lost his second shot right into the mangroves and was unable to get up-and-down.

The resulting six saw him drop back to three-under.

He steadied with three straight pars but one more went on the 18th hole.

The Colombian carded 72 to post a three-round total of two-under-par, two shots clear of his nearest challenger.

“I’m in a great position but the wind is blowing and the course is playing hard," he said. "On the back nine I struggled mentally and had to make some great saves. On the 11th, I think I made the best par of my life!"

"And, I'm pleased I made a good decision there and elected to play backwards."

Abel Gallegos of Argentina moved up the leaderboard and reached level par at the turn before stumbling on the run for home and then rebounding again.

The 17-year-old found the jungle on the 16th and dropped a shot but then fired to within inches of the cup on the following hole to make birdie.

He then birdied the final hole to card an excellent 70 and move to level par through 54-holes.

"I'm very pleased with how I played today, I hit it well off the tee which is so important on this course," said Gallegos. "It's amazing to be in this position. To have a chance on Sunday is incredible, I have to trust myself."

Also putting on a show of shot-making in the wind was Chile’s Gabriel Morgan Birke.

He hit one of the shots of the championship into the tough par-4 2nd.

A head high long iron that burrowed through the wind and ended just feet from the cup, he converted for birdie.

Birke kept at his task on the run for home and picked up a shot at the 17th.

The 22-year-old dropped a stroke on the last and he will go into the final round five shots back on three-over.

First round leader Ivan Camilo Ramirez of Colombia stayed in contention with a one-over-par 71.

He’s too is on three-over for the championship.

Home player Aaron Terrazas sits alone in fifth place on four-over-par.

Also from Mexico, Emilio Gonzalez completed the low round of the day.

The 22-year-old senior at St Mary’s University carded a two-under 69 that included three birdies and just one dropped shot.

He’s moved himself into the top-10.

With a round to play, the incredible prizes the LAAC offers are within touching distance for those in contention.

The LAAC champion receives an invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and, for the first time, will automatically qualify for The 149th Open at Royal St George’s.

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 120th U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot.

Runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The 149th Open and the 120th U.S. Open Championship.

Jose Vega is keeping things in perspective though.

"I have nothing to lose here," he said. "I have a job to go back to on Monday and the PGA Show to think about. My mind is here in the present but I have other things in life so I feel calm and that I can just go out and give my best. At this point I really am trying not to think about the prizes on offer. I know tomorrow will be a grind and I will have to manage myself well."

LAAC Round 4 Leaderboard

1 Jose Vega (Col) -2 2 Abel Gallegos (Arg) Level T3 Gabriel Morgan Birke (Chi) +3 T3 Ivan Camilo Ramirez (Col) +3 5 Aaron Terrazas (Mex) +4 6 Lukas Roessler (Chi) +5 7 Benjamin Saiz-Wenz (Chi) +6 8 Horacio Carbonetti (Arg) +7 T9 Emilio Gonzalez (Mex) +8 T9 Julian Perico (Per) +8 T9 Guilherme Nunes Grinberg (Bra) +8

Jose Vega of Colombia leads the Latin America Amateur Championship at the halfway stage. He sits on three-under after 36-holes in Mayakoba, Mexico.

LAAC Round 2: Jose Vega leads at halfway point

In challenging conditions Jose Vega of Colombia produced a fabulous second round of 65 to take the lead in the Latin America Amateur Championship.

At three-under-par, he is three clear of 15-year-old Chilean Lukas Roessler.

Vega came out of the blocks fast on Friday afternoon in the LAAC at Mayakoba with a birdie on the 1st hole.

He then moved three-under for the day when he holed his second shot for an eagle at the par-4 3rd.

Vega made further gains at the 7th and 11th.

On the par-3 13th, his second found sand but he played a tremendous shot out to within three feet of the cup and converted for birdie.

That put him six-under for the day, a score that had seemed highly unlikely at the outset of play.

The 26-year-old looked in total control of his game on the run for home with pars all the way in.

Vega is the only man under par after two rounds over the testing El Camaleon course.

The wind continued to be a factor on Friday at Mayakoba with the gusts making for extremely challenging playing conditions.

15-year-old Lukas Roessler of Chile battled well in the tough weather, holing a number of clutch putts to stay in touch.

The youngster is level par through 36.

The top-ranked player in the field, Gabriel Morgan Birke, finished with a 73 to be one-over par going into the weekend.

The Chilean is tied on that score with Abel Gallegos of Argentina who posted a commendable 70.

Another Chilean, Benjamin Saiz-Wenz also produced a solid round of 70.

The 20-year-old won the South America Amateur Championship last week and he has continued that form this week.

He reached three-under for the day midway through his back nine but dropped back to one-under for the day and finished 36-holes on two-over.

Overnight leader Ivan Camilo Ramirez returned a five-over-par 76 which might have looked disappointing on paper but it kept him well in touch.

“It was a grind out there,” he said. “Yesterday I played well and although this round was tough, I am still in a good position and I want to give myself a chance on Sunday. That is the important thing.”

Brazilian youngster Andrey Xavier Borges bounced back well from an opening 77.

He posted a second round 69 to move into the top-10 on four-over par.

Argentina’s Andy Schonbaum, a relative veteran in this event at the age of 28 who has a full-time job working as an insurance broker, produced an excellent two-under-par round of 69.

He started on the back nine and reached the turn two-over for the day.

A further shot went at the second but then he produced a scintillating finish.

With five birdies in his last seven holes, he is sitting on a 36-hole total of four-over-par.

“I was very pleased with how I finished,” he said. “It was tough out there, hard to trust the line off the tee as it’s a fine line between finding fairway or jungle! I actually fell to nine-over for the tournament at one point and got a little mad at myself. To pull it back was very satisfying.”

In the tough winds, with trouble both sides on almost every hole, many in the field struggled.

In the end the cut came at 13-over-par - the highest ever in the LAAC.

The battle for the wooden spoon was taken quite comfortably in the end by the oldest player in the field – 61-year-old Desinor Pierre from Haiti.

The tennis coach who lives in Florida had a round to forget, finishing with 112.

With two nines and an 11, his card was reminiscent of Maurice Flitcroft’s in qualifying for the 1976 Open – A blizzard of triple and quadruple bogeys, marred by a solitary par.

Pierre’s came on the par-3 4th.

With two rounds to go, the prospect of the incredible prizes the LAAC offers is looming larger for the players who have made the cut and are within striking distance of the lead.

The LAAC champion receives an invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and, for the first time, will automatically qualify for The 149th Open at Royal St George’s.

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 120th U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot.

Runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The 149th Open and the 120th U.S. Open Championship.

LAAC Round 2 Leaderboard

1 Jose Vega (Col) -3 2 Lukas Roessler (Chi) Level T3 Gabriel Morgan Birke (Chi) +1 T3 Abel Gallegos (Arg) +1 T5 Benjamin Saiz-Wenz (Chi) +2 T5 Ivan Camilo Ramirez (Col) +2 T7 Segundo Oliva Pinto (Arg) +4 T7 Aaron Terrazas (Mex) +4 T7 Andrey Xavier Borges (Bra) +4 T7 Horacio Carbonetti (Arg) +4 T7 Andy Schonbaum (Arg) +4

The top-50 and ties made the cut (+13)

In testing windy conditions at Mayakoba, Colombia’s Ivan Camilo Ramirez fired a 68 to take the lead in the sixth Latin America Amateur Championship.

LAAC Round 1: Ivan Camilo Ramirez leads the way

Colombia’s Ivan Camilo Ramirez leads the LAAC after carding an excellent 68 in tough, blustery weather at the El Camaleon course in Mayakoba, Mexico.

Ramirez started slowly with bogeys on the 2nd and 3rd holes but he then went on an exceptional run with five birdies in the space of seven holes from the 5th.

He then made an excellent par save on the difficult 12th to keep his momentum.

The Texas Tech graduate who has played in every LAAC found trouble from the tee on the par-5 13th and had to take a penalty drop.

But the 22-year-old once again scrambled well to save par.

Ranked 74th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Ramirez is a five-time Colombian amateur champion.

He kept the pars coming on the run for home, holing a number of clutch putts and finished with a three-under-par 68.

Chileans Gabriel Morgan Birke and Lukas Roessler both fired opening rounds of one-under par 70.

Birke, ranked 54th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, opened with a birdie two on the 10th hole and he went to the turn in two-under-par 33.

Coping admirably with the gusting winds, he birdied the 5th to reach three-under.

But two dropped shots in a row saw him fall back to minus one.

“I played well and putted well too,” he said. “The wind got up and the end of the round in particular was tough. I lost a little concentration to drop those two shots, but overall I played well and I feel good to try to do the same thing tomorrow.”

Lukas Roessler fired a supremely steady round of 70 that included three birdies and just two dropped strokes.

Of the morning finishers, Aaron Terrazas of Mexico carded the next best score.

He finished with a one-over-par 72 featuring two halves of 36.

Terrazas’ father Isaac played football for Mexico in the 1998 World Cup.

With the winds swirling above the mangroves, players were struggling to keep the ball from drifting into the penalty areas that line most of the holes at El Camaleon.

Some 40 players failed to break 80 but there were a couple of notable battles won.

Ian Aldarondo of Puerto Rico closed with a seven but it was just enough to win the fight with Joe 90 while Honduran Geoffry Schacher managed a gutsy bogey on the tough 18th hole to avoid posting triple figures.

With three rounds to go, the players won’t be getting ahead of themselves and the leaders have to try not to think too hard on the incredible prizes the LAAC offers.

The LAAC champion receives an invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and, for the first time, will automatically qualify for The 149th Open at Royal St George’s.

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 120th U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot.

Runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The 149th Open and the 120th U.S. Open Championship.

Leaderboard

1       Ivan Camilo Ramirez (Col)              -3

T2     Lukas Roessler (Chi)                       -1

T2     Gabriel Morgan Birke (Chi)              -1

T4     Aaron Terrazas (Mex)                     +1

T4     Nicolas Escobar (Ecu)                     +1 (through 16 holes)

T6     Alejandro Madariaga (Mex)             +2

T6     Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira (Arg)  +2

T6     Abel Gallegos (Arg)                         +2

T6     Enrique Valverde (Dom)                  +2

T6     Guilherme Nunes Grinberg (Bra)     +2 (through 16 holes)

The top-50 and ties will make the cut.

The 2020 Latin America Amateur Championship is underway as Peru is announced as host country for next year’s tournament.

The 2020 Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) is underway at the El Camaleon course in Mayakoba, Mexico.

In a press conference held on Thursday morning, Martin Slumbers of The R&A, Fred Ridley of the Masters Tournament and Mike Davis of the USGA announced that the 2021 Latin America Championship will be held at Lima Golf Club in Peru.

Home player Luis Gerardo Garza began proceedings in this year's championship, striking the first tee shot at 7.45 on Thursday morning.

This is the sixth running of the LAAC and the event has developed significantly since it was first held in Buenos Aires in 2015.

The standard of play in the championship has improved greatly and a number of LAAC graduates have gone on to enjoy success in the professional ranks.

2018 champion Joaquin Niemann of Chile has won on the PGA Tour – the 2019 Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, as has Sebastian Munoz of Colombia who participated in the inaugural LAAC – He triumphed at the 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship.

2021 LAAC will head to Peru

It was announced on Thursday by the founding partners of the LAAC that the 2021 LAAC will be held in Peru.

The seventh instalment of the championship will take place at Lima Golf Club in Lima, Peru.

It will be the third time the event has been held on the continent of South America, following the 2015 tournament in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the 2018 championship in Santiago, Chile.

Numbers from the LAAC

12 – Players have competed in all six instalments of the Latin America Amateur Championship: James Johnson of Barbados, Jarryd Dillas of Bermuda, Daniel Ishii of Brazil, Lucas Rosso of Chile, Matias Dominguez of Chile, Ivan Ramirez of Colombia, Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica, Esteban Missura of Ecuador, Daniel Gurtner of Guatemala, Luis Gerardo Garza of Mexico, Ernesto Martin of Nicaragua and Miguel Ordonez of Panama.

15 – The youngest player in this year’s championship is 15-year-old Pablo Lacayo of Nicaragua.

61 – Desinor Pierre of Haiti is the oldest player in this year’s field. The 61-year-old is a tennis coach back home.

63 – Lowest 18-hole score in LAAC history by Joaquin Niemann on the final day in 2018.

115 – Highest 18-hole score in LAAC history, by Gerald Mathias of Haiti in 2015.

1 – Hole-in-one in the history of the LAAC, by Nicolas Echavarria during the second round in 2015.

16 – Shots improvement from round one to round two by Walker Campbell of Bermuda last year at Casa de Campo. He fired 84 followed by 68.

28 – Countries represented in this LAAC.

50 – Players plus ties will make the cut in this year’s LAAC

Nice story on Rory

In a press conference yesterday 2017 LAAC winner Toto Gana told a great story about Rory McIlroy. Toto met him at Augusta two weeks before the 2017 Masters when both were playing a practice round.

The pair got talking and they arranged to play a practice round together on Tuesday of the tournament at 8am.

But Toto didn’t take his number and there was no confirmation by message or email, he wondered if it would come to pass.

But come that Tuesday Toto headed to the course at 7am just in case.

There was Rory on the practice ground hitting drivers – Toto thought “Oh, he’s finishing up, he must have forgotten.”

But no, Rory saw him and shouted over – “Hey Toto. See you on No. 1.”

They played a practice together and Toto described it as his fondest memory from that Masters.

Yuxin Lin of China won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Sheshan GC and will play in next year’s Masters and The Open Championship.

Yuxin Lin wins the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

China’s Yuxin Lin won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) on home soil at Sheshan GC in Shanghai, coming through a sudden-death playoff against defending champion Takumi Kanaya of Japan.

In the end the event came down to a champions playoff – The 2017 winner against the champ of last season.

Lin, who won the AAC at Royal Wellington in 2017, birdied the 18th hole twice in the playoff to see off Kanaya and become only the second player to win multiple AAC titles, joining Hideki Matsuyama.

The 18-year-old Chinese golfer has earned a place in the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s and an invite to The Masters Tournament next spring.

Lin found the water on the 18th hole during regulation play and was unable to save par.

Finishing on 10-under, it looked as though he might have lost his chance with both Kanaya and Yung-Hua Liu of Chinese Taipei still out on the course on 10-under, with the par-5 last to play.

Kanaya played three good shots to the 72nd hole and had a chance to post 11-under, but the 21-year-old World Amateur Number 1 missed from six feet and he joined Lin in the clubhouse on 10-under.

Liu found the home green in regulation, but backspin took the ball back to the front of the surface.

It was a slow, uphill putt from there and he left the ball four-feet short before agonisingly missing for par and falling back to nine-under and a tie for third with Tanapat Pichaikool of Thailand, who had closed with an excellent 65.

Thrown a lifeline, Lin headed back to the 18th tee with Kanaya to settle the fate of the 11th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in a playoff.

Lin had bogeyed the hole on Friday, double-bogeyed it on Saturday and bogeyed it again in round four.

He looked to be struggling again in extra holes when his tee shot flew left of the target and ended on a bank above a bunker.

Left with an awkward stance and terrible lie, he did well to hack out down the fairway.

Kanaya laid up to the right side before Lin played a spectacular third to within eight feet of the cup.

The Japanese player responded well but was roughly double the distance of Lin from the flag after his third.

Displaying exceptional concentration and determination, Kanaya holed his putt to pile the pressure on Lin.

But the University of South Carolina freshman was up to the task and he followed Kanaya in for birdie.

On the second time down the 18th in extra holes, Lin finally found a fairway.

As well as missing the short stuff on the 72nd hole, he’d also missed every fairway he aimed at over the final nine holes of regulation play.

Kanaya found the semi rough with his tee shot, from where he laid up.

Lin went for the green but missed the surface in the bunker to the left.

Kanaya’s third left him a long birdie putt, then Lin splashed out from the sand to two feet.

When Kanaya missed for a four, Lin was left to tap in and claim a second AAC title.

"This means a huge amount to me, particulary to win on home soil," he said.

"I'm so excited to be able to go back to Augusta and to play in The Open Championship again. I hope I can do better than last time, I know I have learned from those experiences and I can't wait to have another chance."

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, as winner of this tournament Yuxin Lin receives: An invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s in 2020. He also receives an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Royal Birkdale.

The runner-up Takumi Kanaya receives a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal St George’s.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Final Scores

1 Yuxin Lin (Chn) -10 2 Takumi Kanaya (Jap) -10 T3 Tanapat Pichaikool (Tha) -9 T3 Yung-Hua Liu (Tpe) -9 T5 Chun An Yu (Tpe) -8 T5 James Leow (Sin) -8 T5 Ren Yonezawa (Jap) -8 T8 Karl Vilips (Aus) -7 T8 Jun Min Lee (Kor) -7 T8 Yuto Katsuragawa (Jap) -7

Ren Yonezawa, Blake Windred, Yuto Katsuragawa and Yung Hua-Liu are tied for the lead with a round to play in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Four tied at the top in Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Playing in the last group on Saturday at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, Ren Yonezawa of Japan and Australia’s Blake Windred carded rounds of 73 and 74 respectively to finish 54 holes tied on eight-under-par, together with another Japanese player Yuto Katsuragawa and Yung Hua-Liu of Chinese Taipei.

36-hole leader Blake Windred had a tough day in which he made five bogeys, but he hung in well and a birdie on the final hole saw him move back to share the top spot.

“I’ll take the positives from the day, but it wasn’t my best performance by a long shot,” he said.

“I had to work hard out there and was certainly happy to roll in that last putt. I’m excited to go out another day and to have a chance to take home the trophy.”

Yonezawa had led the pack by one coming down the home hole but a three-putt bogey saw him drop back into a four-way tie.

“It was tough today and I’ll have quite a bit to work on for tomorrow,” he said.

“I was quite nervous on the 18th so tomorrow I need to go out and really focus on one shot at a time.”

Yung Hua-Liu of Chinese Taipei completed a solid round of 69 to reach eight-under-par.

The 22-year-old, making his third appearance in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, carded four birdies and just one bogey in halves of 34 and 35.

Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa got off to a lightning-fast start, carding five straight birdies from the 3rd hole to claim a share of the lead.

He stumbled after that with three consecutive bogeys, but he recovered with three birdies on the back nine, including one on the last.

The Japanese player carded a 69 and ended the day on eight-under which turned out to be good enough for a share of the lead.

Defending champion Takumi Kanaya is one back on seven-under.

The 21-year-old, ranked Number 1 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, posted a 68 to get within touching distance of the leaders.

There are three Japanese players in the top five.

Tied with Kanaya on seven-under is Won Jun Lee of South Korea.

The 21-year-old, who has twice finished in the top-10 in four previous appearances at the AAC posted a round of the day 66 to climb the leaderboard and get within a shot of the leaders.

2017 Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Yuxin Lin of China was eight-under playing the last but found the water on the home hole for the second consecutive day.

He finished with a seven and is six-under for the tournament.

Despite his poor finish, Lin is still right in contention.

With no fewer than 15 players within five shots of the lead, the 11th instalment of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is still wide open.

With 18 holes to play, the pressure will continue to build as the prospect of the incredible prizes on offer this week become closer to reality for those at the top of the leaderboard.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of this tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s in 2020. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Royal Birkdale.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal St George’s.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Round 3 Scores

T1 Yuto Katsuragawa (Jap) -8 T1 Yung-Hua Liu (Tpe) -8 T1 Ren Yonezawa (Jap) -8 T1 Blake Windred (Aus) -8 T5 Won Jun Lee (Kor) -7 T5 Takumi Kanaya (Jap) -7 T7 Yuxin Lin (Chn) -6 T7 Jun Min Lee (Kor) -6 T9 James Leow (Sin) -5 T9 Kaiwen Liu (Chn) -5

Blake Windred of Australia leads the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship by one shot through 36 holes at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai.

Australia’s Blake Windred maintained his lead through two rounds of the 11th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Sheshan GC but his advantage has been cut to just one over Jun Min Lee of South Korea and Japan’s Ren Yonezawa.

Windred followed his superb opening round of 63 with a solid 71. He battled well and finished with two birdies to reach 10-under-par.

On his 18th hole, the difficult 9th at Sheshan GC, Windred found sand from the tee, but he took on the second shot over water and fired a six-iron to within 20 feet of the cup.

The 21-year-old rolled home the putt to card 71.

“That was an important finish,” he said.“I’m pleased with the way I bounced back today. I didn’t hit the ball as well as yesterday but I’m happy with the position I’m in, having ground it out. I had a target of shooting five-under every day, so I’m right there with that at 10-under. I need to have a good finish to the weekend.”

Both Jun Min Lee of Korea and Ren Yonezawa of Japan followed Thursday 68s with fine rounds of 67 on Friday.

Lee played an error-free round in halves of 34 and 33.

Yonezawa finished strongly with two birdies in his last three holes to go into Saturday on nine-under, one behind Windred.

“My long game was really good today,” Yonezawa said. “I’m enjoying it and we will see what the weekend brings.

Kaiwen Liu is the best placed home player on six-under-par. He is one clear of five players tied for fifth.

James Kwang Aik Leow of Singapore carded an excellent 68 to move to five-under for the week. The 22-year-old who attends Arizona State made eight birdies on the day.

Leow is tied on five-under with his countryman Hiroshi Tai plus Ervin Chang of Malaysia, Yung-Hua Liu of Chinese Taipei and Yuxin Lin of China.

Defending champion Takumi Kanaya of Japan carded a second round 69 and is three-under for the tournament.

As the tournament heads into the weekend, the pressure will continue to build as players at the top of the leaderboard contemplate the incredible prizes on offer this week.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of this tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s in 2020. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Royal Birkdale.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal St George’s.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Round 2 Scores

1 Blake Windred (Aus) -10 T2 Jun Min Lee (Kor) -9 T2 Ren Yonezawa (Jap) -9 4 Kaiwen Liu (Chn) -6 T5 James Leow (Sin) -5 T5 Hiroshi Tai (Sin) -5 T5 Ervin Chang (Mal) -5 T5 Yung-Hua Liu (The) -5 T5 Yuxin Lin (Can) -5

Leading 60 players and ties after round two made the cut (nine-over.)

Blake Windred of Australia leads the way in the 11th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship after a sparkling 63 at Sheshan GC.

Blake Windred leads the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Sheshan GC after the Australian carded a record-setting opening round of 63.

21-year-old Windred, ranked 11th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, closed with four straight birdies to add to the five he’d already posted during the round to finish with a nine-under-par 63.

Nobody has previously fired as low as nine-under in the first round of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship and Windred now leads the tournament by two shots from South Korea’s Junhong Park.

“I ticked the box for every goal I set today,” he said. “I was enjoying it so much towards the finish that I didn’t want it to end, I hadn’t actually realised I’d closed with four birdies.”

Windred came into this week anticipating two potential outcomes:

Firstly, if he were to win, he would remain amateur to play in both The Masters and The Open, secondly; if he weren’t to win, he would turn professional.

“There’s not that much pressure, just a Masters and an Open spot to gain,” he joked.

But he’s not seeing the finishing post too soon.

“It’s a great start but there’s three rounds to go so I won’t be getting ahead of myself,” he said.

South Korea’s Junhong Park carded an excellent opening round of 65 that, like Windred, was bogey-free.

Playing in the first group off the first tee, South Korea’s Jun Min Lee closed with a birdie to card a four-under 68 and a tie for third place. With two halves of 68, his score could have been even better had he not suffered bogey sixes on two of the par-5s, the 8th and 14th.

Ren Yonezawa of Japan carded five birdies and just one bogey in his round of 68. The 20-year-old is making his first start in the AAC but he has enjoyed a stellar 2019 season, during which he has been South Australia Amateur Champion and a runner-up in the Asia-Pacific Open on the Japan Golf Tour.

Shuai-ming Wong of Hong Kong posted halves of 35 and 33 to finish the day on four-under. The 19-year-old is a sophomore at Southern Methodist University and is a former Junior Players champion, an event he won at Sawgrass in 2017.

The AAC champion of 2017, Lin Yuxin of China got off to a fine start with a four-under 68. The left-hander is looking to join Hideki Matsuyama as the only multiple champions of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Two further players carded 68, Ervin Chang of Malaysia and Yung-hua Liu of Chinese Taipei.

The layout at Sheshan GC has been receiving significant praise from competitors and officials.

It’s been beautifully presented this week and is delivering a firm but fair test of tournament golf. The venue will be well-known to golf fans having hosted the WGC-HSBC Champions on 13 occasions.

The players have take advantage: Although this is a testing track, no fewer than 23 players carded under par today.

There’s still all to play for heading towards day 2 of the AAC and the pressure will build as players at the top of the leaderboard contemplate the incredible prizes on offer this week.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of this tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s in 2020. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Royal Birkdale.

Earlier in the day it was announced that the 2020 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will return to Royal Melbourne in Australia.

The 2014 AAC was hosted at the classic sand-belt layout and was won by home player Antonio Murdaca.

The 2020 championship will be contested between 29th October and 1st November.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal St George’s.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Round 1 Scores

1 Blake Windred (Aus) 63 2 Junhong Park (Kor) 65 T3 Jun Min Lee (Kor) 68 T3 Ren Yonezawa (Jap) 68 T3 Shuai Ming Wong (HK) 68 T3 Yuxin Lin (Chn) 68 T3 Ervin Chang (Mal) 68 T3 Yung-Hua Liu (Tpe) 68

Leading 60 players and ties after round two make the cut.

The 2020 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will return to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia, having previously visited in 2014.

Asia-Pacific Amateur to return to Royal Melbourne in 2020

The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia will play host to the 12th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) between 29th October and 1st November 2020.

The historic club, southeast of Melbourne’s city centre was the venue for the 2014 AAC won by home player Antonio Murdaca.

“We are thrilled to host the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship once again,” said Andrew Kirby, captain of The Royal Melbourne Golf Club. “We have been fortunate to host national and international events challenging many of the world’s top players. Hosting the AAC will be another tremendous opportunity to add to that tradition."

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of the AAC receives: An invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The Open Championship and The Amateur Championship.

“One of the goals of the AAC was to show the world how golf is growing in our region,” said Kei Muratsu, Chairman of the APGC, “We are confident that next year’s return to Australia will mark another wonderful chapter in the legacy of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.”

The 2020 AAC will take place on Royal Melbourne’s composite course, combining 12 holes from the West course with six from the East.

Royal Melbourne will host the Presidents Cup for a third time this December and the club has also welcomed the World Cup on four occasions, together with numerous other prestigious championships.

This year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is currently being hosted at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, China. The event features 120 of the region’s top amateur players, representing 39 different countries.

Takumi Kanaya of Japan is the defending AAC champion.

The 21-year-old has recently climbed to the Number 1 position on the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

At time of writing, with half of the first round completed, four players are tied for the lead in the 2019 AAC – Jun min Lee of South Korea, Japan’s Ren Yonezawa, Shuai Ming Wong of Hong Kong and China’s Yuxin Lin, the 2017 AAC champion.

The 11th Asia Pacific Amateur Championship will be played this week at Sheshan Golf Club in China. The winner will earn a start at both The Masters and The Open.

Asia Pacific Amateur Championship Preview

The best amateur golfers in the Asia Pacific region tee it up at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai China this week to do battle for the prestigious Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.

In this 11th running of the event, co-founded by The Masters Tournament and The R&A, the participants are competing to earn a place in both the 2020 Masters and the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s.

A strong field has assembled at Sheshan GC.

Defending champion and current World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) Number 2, Takumi Kanaya of Japan is the top ranked player in the field with other highly ranked competitors including World Number 4 David Micheluzzi and World Number 11 Blake Windred, both of Australia, and World Number 9 Chun An Yu of Chinese Taipei.

The home challenge will be led by the 19-year-old Lin Yuxin of Beijing, who is hoping to become only the second player after Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama to win multiple AAC titles.

Lin won the 2017 AAC at Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand.

The tournament has progressed hugely since it was first contested 10 years ago.

At that time, only a handful of players in the field were within the top-500 on the WAGR.

Going into this event, there are 12 players from the Asia Pacific region in the top-100.

Han Chang-won of Korea was the winner of the inaugural AAC in 2009, then in 2010, an 18-year-old Japanese player called Hideki Matsuyama took the title with a tremendous four-round-total of 15-under-par.

Matsuyama went on to defend his title the following year and then to become one of the very best golfers in the world.

14-year-old, Guan Tianlang of China won the fourth edition of the AAC in 2012, while Lee Chang-woo from South Korea claimed the title the next year in China.

Australian Antonio Murdaca won in 2014 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club then, in 2015, Chinese No. 1-ranked amateur golfer Jin Cheng fired a course-record eight-under 62 en-route to winning the AAC at The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club in Hong Kong.

Australia’s Curtis Luck overturned a seven-stroke deficit to secure a one-shot victory over compatriot Brett Coletta at the eighth Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship held at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Korea.

In 2017, 17-year-old Yuxin Lin became the third Chinese AAC champion, closing with a birdie and an eagle in the final round to win by three shots at Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand.

Last year Japan’s Takumi Kanaya fired a closing 65 to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and earn a place in both the 2019 Masters Tournament and the 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

A key reason for the prestige of the AAC is the prizes that are on offer.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of the tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2020 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s in 2020. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Royal Birkdale.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal St George’s.

The course at Sheshan GC in Shanghai will be well known to golf fans, having hosted the WGC HSBC Champions on 12 occasions.

It's an event that has been won by former AAC champ Hideki Matsuyama, as well as Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson.

Designed by Neil Haworth and Robin Nelson, Sheshan is a par 72, 7,041 yard layout that has been recognised as one of the finest tracks in Asia.

It’s a challenging course with punishing rough and plenty of water hazards to contend with.

The weather forecast for the week is set fair – 27 degrees and no rain.

The University of Colorado man won by three strokes after three birdies in a row on the back nine in the final round

O’Loughlin Keeps Cool In The Heat To Land Walton Heath Trophy

Daniel O’Loughlin from Nottingham turned a seven-shot deficit after 54-holes into a three-stroke victory to lift the impressive Michael Lunt Salver as the winner of the 15^th edition of the Walton Heath Trophy.

The 21-year-old American collegiate player, who studies at the University of Colorado, began the final round in furnace-like conditions trailing in the wake of leader, Jacob Davies from Rhuddlan in Wales.

However, as the mercury edged towards 37 degrees centigrade, O’Loughlin embarked on a gruelling final round comeback. In the baking heat, the Ruddington Grange player refused to wilt, staying cool and calm before ultimately collecting the spoils with a closing round of 70 over the Old Course.

His four-round aggregate of 279, nine under par, secured victory by three shots from Frilford Heath’s Olly Huggins with Jordan Sundborg of Shanklin & Sandown in third.

As the UK was gripped by a heatwave which made playing conditions unpleasantly hot, O’Loughlin ground out his closing 70 to display a strong temperament on a testing day.

“I didn’t have any huge expectations going into the last round,” he admitted.

Related: Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course Review

“I tried not to think about anyone else. It was a case of ignoring the heat and the other golfers and just posting a number. I didn’t know it would end up being good enough to win.”

O’Loughlin’s chances of claiming the trophy seemed slim when he turned in one over par, but three consecutive birdies from the 14^th, including a fine 15-footer at the 15^th, paved the way for his winning total.

With mum, Caroline, lending moral support over the full 72-hole examination, O’Loughlin did the family proud by taking a title he describes as ‘the biggest of my career so far”.

O’Loughlin, who aims to graduate in geography from the University of Colorado next year before deciding whether to enter the professional arena, added: “I played here in the European Amateur two years ago and finished tenth, so I had a really good feel for Walton Heath. It’s obviously been borne out this week. It’s a great venue and I love the golf courses.”

Runner-up Huggins surged through the field with a third round 65 and closed with a 73 for a six under par total of 282. In just coming up short, the 20-year-old wasn’t quite able to complete a terrific ‘double’ for his club, Frilford Heath.

Last October, Eddie Pepperell from the same club captured the British Masters at Walton Heath, and for a few hours Huggins looked as if he might land the trophy until O’Loughlin’s late charge.

Huggins laughed: “I should be attending a wedding in Chepstow right now, but it looks as if I will be late. My girlfriend won’t be too pleased!”

Related: Walton Heath Golf Club New Course Review

However, the long wait was futile as O’Loughlin finished strongly to fend off Huggins and Sundborg, who carded a final 70 for a total of 283.

WALTON HEATH TROPHY: Final totals with four round scores (New and Old Courses):

279 – D O’Loughlin (Ruddington Grange) 69, 69, 71,70

282 – O Huggins (Frilford Heath) 70, 74, 65, 73

283 – J Sundborg (Shanklin & Sandown) 70, 77, 66, 70

284 – D Bradbury (Wakefield) 68, 69, 71, 76

J Davies (Rhuddlan)_67, 69, 66, 82

A Edwards-Hill (Chelmsford) 71, 76, 65, 72

285 - G Saunders (Lee-On-The-Solent) 72, 72, 67,74

J Bristow (Canterbury) 70, 69, 72, 74

C Strickland (Ham Manor) 74, 73, 70, 68

R Nevin-Wharton (Hartford) 70, 74, 69, 72

286 – J Hull (Hever Castle) 70, 72, 74, 70.

Expand Walton Heath Golf Club New Course Review

Walton Heath Golf Club New Course Review

The New eases you in with a short…

Expand Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course Review

Walton Heath Golf Club Old Course Review

A classic heathland golf course with a great…

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Rob Smith looks back on a week of wonderful on and off the course activity at the 2019 Latin America Amateur Championship…

Latin America Amateur Championship - Dominican Diary

Now that I have been home for a few days, I’ve had a chance to reflect on a few highlights from my week at the Latin America Amateur Championship at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, thoughts from both in front of and behind the scenes as well as one or two simple observations.

Most importantly, what is the fledgling tournament all about? Happily, it’s a win-win as it’s all about growing the game that we love. Founded five years ago and organised by The R&A, The Masters Tournament and the USGA, this championship is a celebration of golf in Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean, which at the same time raises golf’s profile both within the region and worldwide.

The tournament itself is covered in detail in my four daily reports - Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and its very worthy champion is Mexican Alvaro Ortiz. He receives a place in The Masters at Augusta in April as well as exemptions into the Amateur Championship and US Amateur.

Both he and the runner-up, Luis Gagne from Costa Rica, qualify for sectional qualifying for the US Open which is at Pebble Beach in June, and final qualifying for The Open which is at Royal Portrush in July.

With live TV coverage and media from all over the world covering the event, the week was a great success. The tournament also promotes the game within the region and it was terrific to see so many people from the area, particularly youngsters, working hard behind the scenes.

To wide acclaim from the players and their supporting officials, there was a Rules Meeting at the start of the week hosted by Thomas Pagel, the USGA’s senior managing director for Governance, and Grant Moir, The R&A’s Director of Rules. They were keen to explain that the focus for the 2019 changes was to make them more user-friendly and sensible, and the feedback from all those attending was very positive.

The night before the first round, an opening ceremony took place at Casa de Campo’s amazing Mediterranean village reconstruction, Altos de Chavon. There was a chance to mingle and meet new people; this was great fun until an official from the Peruvian Golf Association asked me about Brexit!

While the majority of golfers are brilliant amateurs aiming for a future in the game, spare a thought for Maurice Pasha Brandt from neighbouring Haiti. The 57-year-old was a cumulative 44-over for his two rounds, but I think that is to be applauded as he proudly represented his country which at the moment has just the one golf course!

In the May travel supplement, I will take a closer look at Casa de Campo and its three public-access golf courses. This is arguably the golfing destination in the Caribbean, and as a taster, here are snapshots I took as I was lucky enough to play them…

For the championship, the two nines of the Teeth of the Dog were swapped over. This is the par-3 14th (normally the 5th), and it comes at the start of an extremely exciting oceanside stretch of four holes.

There are three nines on high ground at the Dye Fore Course - this is the opening hole, a par 5, on the Chavon nine.

I managed an early-morning round on The Links before flying home and very much enjoyed its different character and slightly more forgiving design.

In conclusion, it was a magnificent week - a growing and extremely important tournament that is working well to increase the popularity of golf, and a stunning resort that I would recommend to anyone.

Four days of intense competition came to a thrilling climax today at the Latin America Amateur Championship - Rob Smith witnessed the action…

Latin America Amateur Championship - Final Day

Following three days of intense competition at amazing Casa de Campo, plenty of golfers began the final day in contention with Mexican Alvaro Ortiz on top of the leaderboard at 8-under. With more than 20 players at par or better, it would be fascinating to see whether someone would emerge from the pack as last year when Joaquin Niemann shot a stunning 63 to capture the Latin America Amateur Championship title. Joining Ortiz in the final group were Peruvian Luis Fernando Barco and Chilean Agustin Errazuriz, each a stroke off the pace.

The opening hole is just under 400 yards, so just an iron from the tee for these fine players, and both Ortiz and Barco made the perfect start with birdies, the Mexican hitting his approach to just three feet.

Ahead of them, Peru’s Julian Perico was off to a blistering start with four birdies in the opening six holes showing that golfer of this class, playing in perfect conditions, are capable of pretty much anything.

Growing the game is at the heart of the reasoning for this championship, with the organising bodies all totally committed to its success. The R&A, the Masters Tournament and the USGA are all here in force this week and the winner will get a place at Augusta in less than three months as well as exemptions into the Amateur and US Amateur. Both he and the runner-up (and ties) also receive exemptions into sectional qualifying for the US Open which is at Pebble Beach in June, and into final qualifying for The Open which is at the beautifully renovated Royal Portrush.

The most difficult stretch on the front nine is the oceanside holes from 6 to 8, into the breeze, well bunkered and with run-offs. Danger doesn’t so much lurk as scream all the way on the right. Costa Rica’s Luis Gagne negotiated all three in par, surrounding them with four birdies to move to the top on 10-under at the halfway stage. Meanwhile, Ortiz dropped a shot at the 8th before a superb up-and-down at the 9th saw him turn one off the lead.

As the back nine progressed, the wind increased and the leading two created some daylight between themselves and the rest of the field. Gagne birdied 11 and 14 to build a lead, but Ortiz hit back in stunning fashion with an eagle at the long 12th followed by a three at the 455-yard 13th. Bunkered at 16, Gagne holed a 15-footer to stay level with Ortiz on 12-under and effectively make it a two-horse race.

A mistake by Gagne off the tee led to sand and a bogey at the penultimate hole, and in complete contrast Ortiz almost holed for eagle, his approach running six inches past the hole. This two-shot swing, with both birdieing the closing hole, meant that the new champion is Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz. Gagne finished two back on 12-under, while in third place was Peruvian Luis Fernando Barco.

The new champion received his trophy from Chairman of The R&A, Ian Pattinson, and so will delay turning professional which would probably have happened immediately had he not won. His older brother Carlos is already on the PGA Tour, and the delighted 23-year-old will be the first Mexican to play in the Masters in 40 years. He said afterwards, “It feels good to be able to finally hold this trophy after wanting to for so long. I can't believe I finally did it. I'm just excited about the week and I still can't believe I'm going to play the Masters. I think it's what every golfer dreams of.”

It was good to hear that runner-up Gagne is keen to take his place in Final Qualifying for The Open in July at Royal Portrush, and will be very interesting to follow the new champion Ortiz as he completes his amateur career and graduates up to the professional ranks.

There seems no doubt that this new championship has already made a significant impact in its young life, one that looks set to grow and grow.

Final Scores

1        Alvaro Ortiz                    Mexico           -14

2        Luis Gagne                      Costa Rica     -12

3        Luis Fernando Barco    Peru                 -9

4        Toto Gana                       Chile                -8

5        Andrey Borges Xavier   Brazil              -7

T6      Fred Biondi                     Brazil             -6

T6      Jorge Garcia                    Venezuela     -6

8        Agustin Errazuriz           Chile              -5

Following the halfway cut at the Latin America Amateur Championship, a day of exciting golf saw the leaderboard tighten up. Rob Smith reports…

Latin America Amateur Championship - Day Three

At the end of the second day of the fifth staging of the Latin America Amateur Championship, the field was whittled down to the leading fifty golfers. Taking place over the amazing Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, the tournament is being screened live on TV over here, and the overnight leader was Juan Cayro Delgado from the host nation.

One shot back on 6-under, in joint second place were Alvaro Ortiz from Mexico and Luis Fernando Barco from Peru, with Chilean Agustin Errazuriz and Andrey Borges Xavier from Brazil a further two shots back on 4-under par.

It’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the thinking behind this championship which is jointly organised and heavily supported by The R&A, the Masters Tournament and the USGA. Each of these governing bodies is committed to the growth of the game in general, and more specifically in this case to its increasing presence and strength in Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

The impact of this relatively new event is already being felt with mass media presence here this week and no fewer than 28 countries represented in the starting line-up. Last year’s winner was Joaquin Niemann from Chile who turned professional after the Masters. At just 20, he has already earned his full PGA Tour card and is up to number 155 in the world rankings. This is terrific inspiration for all young golfers in the region.

A help for the players today was that the wind kept in the background while for the first time in the tournament there were no showers. According to the TV team, January is the coolest month in the Dominican Republic with the average daytime temperature being just 30 degrees!

It’s only natural that these remarkably composed young men are still open to nerves, and with so much to play for, there were plenty of opening birdies and bogies. The overnight leader in particular had a torrid time, a birdie at the 4th being followed by double-bogey, bogey, double-bogey. This would have floored most golfers, but the 17 year-old kept his composure and is still not out of it albeit with a 6-shot deficit. In contrast, Alvaro Ortiz had a flawless front nine with three birdies to assume the lead, before bogies at 10 and 11 opened things up again. Straight pars from there were followed by an exceptional 2-putt birdie at the last allowing him to post a score of 8-under.

Returning to the importance of this flourishing championship, another point of note is that this tournament actually has an older brother, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship which has the same intention of growing the game. Two-time winner Hideki Matsuyama has established himself as a world star and this has proved to be a great motivation for golf in the area. A similar happy result is confidently hoped for in Latin America.

Rounds of the day belonged to two Brazilians; Herik Machado who posted back-to-back eagles on 17 and 18 en route to a 65, and Fred Biondo who shot a 66. This leapfrogged the pair into a tie for fifth, one behind Luis Gagne from Costa Rica, who in turn is a shot behind Luis Fernando Barco and Agustin Errazuriz.

Following his round, Ortiz talked of what lies ahead, saying, “I’m just going to try to be patient. I’ve been here before. I know what it takes. Tomorrow, definitely, I won’t be as conservative.”

The top eight are all within four shots with the cosmopolitan leaderboard perfectly bunched. With a place in the Masters and invitations to all manner of other leading tournaments on offer, there should be fireworks on Sunday.

With the halfway cut coming today and the potential for a place in this year’s Masters at stake, there was everything to play for on day two of the Latin America Amateur Championship. Rob Smith watched the drama unfold…

Latin America Amateur Championship - Day Two

With the support of The R&A, the Masters and the USGA, the prize for winning the most important amateur tournament in the region this week is access to their flagship events. Specifically, the winner will play in the Masters at Augusta National in April, as well as the British and US Amateur Championships, and potentially both Open Championships as well including The Open at beautiful Royal Portrush.

The opening day’s play at Casa de Campo seemed to favour the morning starters a little as rain showers hit in the afternoon, and it was Mexican Alvaro Ortiz who took full advantage by posting a terrific score of 66. His round even had room for a couple of bogeys, and his 6-under created some room between him and a handful of players on 3-under par.

With the two nines swapped over for this championship, I took the opportunity during the morning to watch some of the action and walk the closing stretch, in particular the breathtaking sequence from holes 14 to 17 which run right along the ocean.

Following his opening round of 69, local golfer Juan Delgado had said that being first out on Friday may work to his advantage. The youngster lives a couple of hours away in the nation’s capital, Santo Domingo, and so knows the course here well. This is his debut in the event and his hopes proved to be well founded as he continued the good work to improve on his opening score by a shot to record a 68 and move to 7-under. This gave him the lunchtime lead.

As the afternoon play unfolded, the big question was whether overnight leader Ortiz, or indeed any of the other fine players, would catch Delgado. 23-year-old Ortiz has an excellent record in this championship having played in all four previous events and enjoyed three top-3 finishes. In the end, following an ugly double-bogey at the 6th, he rallied well to finish with a sandy par on level for the day to be one off the pace. Leading amateur in the world rankings Luis Fernando Barco closed with an excellent birdie to join Ortiz in second place. Round of the day, and indeed round of the week so far, was a wonderful 65 from Peru’s Julian Perico; a 12-shot improvement in just one day.

For the second round, the tee positions at some of the holes were changed around a little. This meant that the beautiful par-3 14th was reduced down from 154 yards yesterday to a mere 108 yards. All the players had to do was make sure they didn’t pitch too long… or short… and definitely not left… or right!

Following the conclusion of play the cut for the leading 50 and ties was made at 5-over. Delgado sits proudly at the top of the leaderboard but you would have to think that with 36 holes still to play on a demanding course which plays differently every day, pretty much anything could happen. In many ways it would be great to see someone from the host nation lift the trophy and further boost the golfing prospects of this beautiful country, but most importantly, we can all look forward to a weekend of sparkling golf at the Latin America Amateur Championship.

The fifth staging of the Latin America Amateur Championship began early today at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. Rob Smith reports…

Latin America Amateur Championship - Day One

From Argentina to Jamaica and from Mexico to Uruguay, the field of 108 leading amateur golfers set out in competition today on the stunning Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo. Representing the finest amateur talent in the area, some of these elite golfers will be the stars of tomorrow, and each is looking to win the most important event of its kind in the region.

Play in the fifth Latin America Amateur Championship began bright and early at 7:15 on a beautiful morning with plenty of sunshine and just a light breeze here in the beautiful Caribbean. On the eve of the tournament, a number of the competitors had been asked their predictions of a winning score, and these tended to be around 4- or 5-under though they all stressed that the wind would be a vital factor.

For this tournament, the two nines have been swapped over. This should lead to more drama and be ideal for the TV coverage as it means 14 to 17 run along the shore and the closing hole is a reachable par 5 that could see birdies and even eagles.

Interestingly, virtually all the early leaders were those playing the back nine first. Taking advantage of the benign conditions, Alvaro Ortiz from Mexico was off to a blistering start, racing to the turn in 32 despite a bogey on the long 12th. The University of Arkansas graduate continued the good form with a birdie at the 1st before an eagle at his final par-5, the 5th, took him to 7-under. A bogey at the next dented his score, but three pars saw him finish the morning as clubhouse leader with a hugely impressive 66.

While Ortiz was out on the course, the traditional championship Press Conference took place hosted by the most senior representatives of the organising bodies; Chairman Fred Ridley from the Masters Tournament, CEO of The R&A Martin Slumbers, and Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA.

Top of the agenda was the announcement of next year’s venue which sees the event visit Mexico for the first time. The host club will be Mayakoba’s El Camaleón on Riviera Maya, a course that was the first outside the USA and Canada to host a PGA tournament, the Mayakoba Golf Classic, which produced winners such as Graeme McDowell and Matt Kuchar.

The Q&A session produced some interesting and informative views from the three officials. Commenting on the reason for the LAAC and how the hopes for it can be fulfilled, Martin Slumbers said, “What we are trying to do as an organisation around the world is ensure that golf is thriving 50 years from now. That's really what drives us - not just so much what's happening today, but where is the game going. We've been working in Latin America for many years, and when we think about it in terms of the next 50 years, the opportunity for the game to grow in this region is huge. But to make that reality, you need to have the whole pyramid of the game from grass roots in schools, with children learning to play the game, through clubs, through public facilities, through places that are easily accessible, right up to the elite event. That hopefully creates the inspiration down through the pyramid.”

Back out on the course, the expected stronger wind stayed away but the cloud moved in with light showers refreshing the afternoon players. Live coverage of the back nine was going out on TV in the afternoon, and the leaderboard by the 18th green kept everyone informed with how they were getting on.

Starting at the 1st, home player Enrique Valverde had five birdies and five pars in his first ten holes to move up into sole possession of second spot. Sadly, a somewhat rollercoaster finish saw him drop back to 2-under, in a group just a shot behind the five players in joint-second.

There are plenty of other golfers under par and the remainder of the field will all be looking to make up ground tomorrow before the cut for the weekend which will be the leading 50 and ties. This may sound odd coming from someone called Smith, but slightly confusingly (for me!) the overnight leader is one of two Alvaro Ortizes in the field, the other being from Costa Rica. As you would expect, early and late tee times swap over for Friday, and the wind may well be key again and even things out. Regardless, it will be very interesting to see how these talented, friendly, and remarkably mature youngsters progress.

As the final preparations take place before the 2019 Latin America Amateur Championship, Rob Smith sets the scene…

Latin America Amateur Championship Preview

Flying out from the UK just as the weather looks set to take a turn for the worse, I don’t expect too much sympathy as I spend a few days in the Dominican Republic at the amazing Casa de Campo. Nonetheless, I am here for an important reason; to report on the fifth staging of the Latin America Amateur Championship, one of the most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the world.

Following in the successful footsteps of its slightly older brother, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, this event was founded in 2015 by The R&A, the Masters Tournament and the USGA. The reason for this is to further develop amateur golf in the region; effectively South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

As a testimony to the importance of this championship, the winner will receive an invitation to compete in the Masters at Augusta in April. He will also earn a place in The Amateur Championship which is being staged this year at two Golf Monthly Top 100 favourites, Portmarnock and The Island. On top of this, he will receive an exemption into the US Amateur and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.

Both the winner and the runner-up (and ties) also receive exemptions into final qualifying for The Open Championship which this year returns to Royal Portrush, and final qualifying for the US Open which is at Pebble Beach.

If any further evidence is needed in terms of the prestige of this event, the fully-equipped Media Centre has attracted representation from all over the world, and the most senior officials of the organising bodies are here in force.

The final day of practice saw a shotgun start with the players having the opportunity to work on their games, particularly the tricky approach pitches and chips that will prove so important this week.

The 2018 winner, Chilean Joaquín Niemann, is the only one of the four previous winners not to be competing this week - the simple reason being that he turned professional following his participation in the Masters and is already making inroads on the PGA Tour. In turn, this is acting as a real inspiration to young golfers throughout the region.

In the field of 108 supremely talented young amateurs, one of the hot favourites is Peruvian Luis Fernando Barco. Not only is he the highest-placed golfer here in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, but he finished in a tie for third when the event was held here three years ago and so has plenty of experience on his side as well.

In terms of national form, a Chilean golfer has won three of the four previous stagings of the event and the country has 10 golfers here this week. Overall, 29 countries are represented at Casa de Campo this week, and there are 19 golfers in the field who have played in the event every year since its inception.

One of the most appealing aspects of the week for everyone is the course itself. Designed in 1971 by Pete Dye, there are seven holes which run right along the oceanside and it will look an absolute picture in the live coverage that is to be televised throughout Latin America during all four days of the championship.

Play starts bright and early from both tees at 7:15 on Thursday morning - four hours behind UK time - and a key factor on this demanding and exposed oceanside 7,210-yard course will be the wind. The next four days look set to be packed with top-class golf over one of the most admired courses in the world.

Japan’s Takumi Kanaya fired a closing 65 to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and earn a place in both the 2019 Masters Tournament and the 148th Open Championship.

Takumi Kanaya wins Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Takumi Kanaya of Japan closed with a 65 at Sentosa GC in Singapore to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship by two shots from his countryman Keita Nakajima and India’s Rayhan Thomas.

Kanaya is the first player from Japan to win the title since Hideki Mastuyama won in back-to-back seasons in 2010 and 2011.

Organised by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, as winner of this tournament Kanaya receives: An invitation to compete in the 2019 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Portmarnock.

"It's simply like a dream come true to me," said Tanaya. "I always dreamed of playing in The Masters and The Open Championship... I received a call from Hideki Matsuyama when I walked off the course and that was amazing. He won this title twice and I'd love to come close to playing as well as he did... I've played in the British Amateur before and I know how important it is to control the ball on the links. I look forward to testing myself in those conditions again at Portrush."

By finishing as runners-up Keita Nakajima and Rayhan Thomas receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for the 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Takumi Kanaya began the final round at Sentosa two shots back of leader Yuxin Lin of China but, as defending champion Lin faltered, Kanaya pushed forward to take a superb win and claim the incredible prizes that sit alongside the title.

With nine holes of the final round still to play at Sentosa GC, the players were forced to leave the course because of a threat of lightning. At that point the two Japanese players; Kanaya and Nakajima, held a one stroke lead at 11-under-par. But with eight players within three shots, the event was still wide open.

Nakajima moved in front when play restarted after one hour and 11 minutes delay, picking up a birdie on the 10th to get to 12-under. 2015 champion Cheng Jin of China fell back with consecutive bogeys at 11 and 12 and it started to look like a four-horse race between Nakajima, Kanaya, India’s Rayhan Thomas and Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines.

Nakajima made steady pars from the 11th to the 15th but the 18-year-old was then joined at 12-under by his countryman Kanaya who picked up a shot at the short par-4 14th. Kanaya then birdied the 15th and 16th holes to reach 14-under and establish a two-shot lead. When Nakajima three-putted the 17th, Kanaya was three ahead.

The 20-year-old from Hiroshima dropped a shot at the 17th but he kept his cool and made a solid par on the 72nd hole to secure the victory.

Rayhan Thomas of India, who was playing a few groups in front of the other three in contention, birdied the 12th to get within one and then kept his good score going with par saves on the 13th and 14th holes. But he was unable to save par from just off the green on the 15th and dropped back to 10-under. He bounced right back though with a birdie on the par-5 16th. He finished on 11-under-par and that was good enough to finish tied second.

“This event means a lot to me, it’s my third time playing and I’ve had a blast,” he said. “Four-over in round one was disheartening and to come back from that was great. The opportunity to qualify for The Open Championship is incredible. I love Ireland and I played there in the World Amateur Team Championship so it would be fabulous to get back there.”

Nakajima who tied for second with Thomas is also thrilled at the prospect of competing in Open Qualifying.

“It will be a great chance to learn from the players involved in that event,” he said. “It’s really a wonderful chance we have.”

Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines had a putt on the final green at Sentosa to move into a tie for second place but it narrowly missed and he had to settle for fourth spot.

K.K Limbhasut of Thailand was fifth and 2015 AAC winner Cheng Jin of China was sixth. Ervin Chang of Malaysia posted the round of the day. He carded a six-under-par 64 to climb into seventh place.

Defending champion Yuxin Lin of China fell away in the first half of the final round, he dropped back to seven-under after three dropped shots. Another one went at the 12th and he broke his putter in frustration. He used an iron to putt from there on and finished back in a tie for ninth.

It was testament to the success of this tournament in developing golf in the Asia-Pacific region that no fewer than eight nations were represented in the final top-10. Next year's Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will take place at Sheshan Golf Club near Shanghai from September 26-29 2019.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Final Scores

1 Takumi Kanaya (Jap) 69 69 64 65 267 T2 Rayhan Thomas (Ind) 74 64 65 66 269 T2 Keita Nakajima (Jap) 67 68 67 67 269 4 Lloyd Jefferson Go (Phi) 65 67 69 69 270 5 K.K. Limbhasut (Tha) 66 68 68 69 271 6 Cheng Jin (Chn) 65 67 70 70 272 7 Ervin Chang (Mal) 72 69 68 64 273 8 Sadom Kaewkanjana (Tha) 68 66 73 67 274 T9 Gregory Foo (Sin) 70 69 69 67 275 T9 Won-Jun Lee (Kor) 68 67 68 72 275 T9 Zheng Kai Bai (Chn) 66 67 69 73 275 T9 Yuxin Lin (Chn) 69 69 62 75 275

Defending champion Yuxin Lin of China fired a superb third round 62 to take a one stroke lead into the final day of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Sentosa GC in Singapore.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Day 3 Report

China’s Yuxin Lin carded a 62 on Saturday at Sentosa GC in Singapore to lead Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines by a single stroke with 18 holes left to play in the 2018 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC.) Lin is looking to become the first player since Hideki Mastuyama to successfully defend this title.

2017 AAC winner Yuxin Lin of China made his move on day three of the AAC at Sentosa GC. He raced to the turn in just 29 shots and then birdied the 10th to reach seven-under for the day and nine-under for the championship. At that stage a 59 looked a possibility, but his serene progress was hampered by a dropped shot on the 12th. He recovered with birdies on the 14th and 16th holes and needed two pars to finish to tie the lowest score ever posted in the AAC. He left himself a tester on the 18th but, displaying the nerve that won him the championship last year, the 17-year-old rolled the par putt home to card 62.

“I had a thought about 59 having gone out in 29 but then I dropped a shot on 12 unfortunately,” he said. “I’ve been striking it good and waiting for the putts to drop and today the putter got working, that was the key. It means a lot to me to hold this title and I would love to be the first since Hideki Matsuyama to successfully defend this championship.”

Adding to the excitement for Lin was the fact that he was greeted after the round by R&A ambassador Tom Watson who has made the journey to Singapore to watch the final stages of the championship.

Lin’s fireworks inspired his playing partners on to good scores. Takumi Kanaya of Japan fired a 64 to reach eight-under while India’s Rayhan Thomas carded 65 to go into round four on seven-under.

It was soon after Lin’s group completed their rounds that the players were taken off the course because of a weather warning. There was a delay of two before the leaders could get back out on track.

Overnight co-leader Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines is Lin’s closest pursuer after a steady third round of 69. He bounced back well after driving out-of-bounds on the 8th and making double, then coped well with the weather dealy. Jefferson Go is nine-under-par with a group of five players one more back on eight-under. They are Japan’s Takumi Kanaya and Keita Nakajima, K.K. Limbhasut of Thailand and Chinese players Zheng Kai Bai and 2015 AAC winner Cheng Jin.

“I felt I fought well today,” said Jefferson Go. “I feel I have a chance tomorrow and I think one shot is not a big gap. I need to do everything good tomorrow. With so many people in contention, it’s going to be a shoot-out.”

One of the rounds of the day was by Indonesia’s Naraajie Ramadhan. He carded an impressive 63, featuring eight birdies and just one shot. Beginning the day on level par, the 18-year-old is now at seven-under and back in contention, just three back.

Andy Zhang of China also posted a good score on “moving day.” The 20-year-old fired a 64 to climb the board and also reach seven-under, tied with Ramadhan, Rayhan Thomas and Korea’s Won-Jun Lee.

With 13 players within four shots of the lead, the incredible prizes in this tournament are very much still up for grabs.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of this tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2019 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Portmarnock.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal Portrush.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Round 3 Scores

1 Yuxin Lin (Chn) -10 2 Lloyd Jefferson Go (Phi) -9 T3 Takumi Kanaya (Jap) -8 T3 Keita Nakajima (Jap) -8 T3 K.K. Limbhasut (Tha) -8 T3 Zheng Kai Bai (Chn) -8 T3 Cheng Jin (Chn) -8 T8 Naraajie Ramadhan (Idn) -7 T8 Andy Zhang (Chn) -7 T8 Won-Jun Lee (Kor) -7 T8 Rayhan Thomas (Ind) -7

Fergus Bisset travels to Sentosa GC in Singapore this week to report for GM on the 10th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. He’ll keep us up to date in this blog.

Singapore Swing: The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

A selection of superb courses

Yesterday I had a chance to sit down and chat with Sentosa’s General Manager and Director of Agronomy Andy Johnston. He is an extremely knowledgeable chap and a very nice one too. His background is in both turf science and in architecture. He worked with Arnold Palmer on the design of numerous courses around the world and then with Gene Bates on many more – 100s in total!

Andy’s career makes for a fascinating story in itself and I’ll cover it more in an extended article when I’m back from my travels.

Johnston is clearly a master of agronomy though and what he has done at Sentosa with both the New Tanjong and Serrapong courses is quite incredible. The cutting-edge techniques he has employed have not only served to deliver tournament-quality playing surfaces all year round here but have also enabled the club to become one of the most environmentally conscious in all of Asia. From ground-breaking maintenance programmes to eliminating plastic, Sentosa is at the forefront of environmental sustainability.

Again, I’ll cover all this in more detail in a future piece but, as a taster – here’s a video of Andy describing the detail that goes into preparing the courses at Sentosa:

https://vimeo.com/293512307

….

Staying with superb courses, yesterday evening we dined at one of Singapore’s finest restaurants: Candlenut. Delivering a modern take on traditional Straits-Chinese or Perankan cuisine – head chef Malcolm Lee has earned a Michelin star.

I’m no Jay Rayner but I would say the meal we had – a selection of tasters, then a selection of main courses – offered up an explosion of flavours. From zinging curries of Waygu beef, crab and chicken to wok fried King Tiger Prawns and baby squid in squid ink, there was almost too much for my amateurish palette to take in.

To add to the taste medley, I then had a dessert that featured chocolate ice cream, chilli and, seemingly, some sort of popping candy… it was quite incredible. I had to go through to the adjoining bar afterwards for a swift Balvenie 12-year Double Wood to restore some semblance of order!

Safe to say, the food in Singapore is pretty bloody good and I’m already looking forward to my lunch at the club, which has proven to also be excellent over the first couple of days.

Numbers to note and a trip on a boat

As day two of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship gets underway, Yung-Hua Liu of Chinese Taipei is making an early move. He’s two-under through his first three holes today and seven-under overall: pretty impressive numbers. Here are some more interesting numbers to consider from the AAC:

There are seven former AAC participants who are currently in the top 100 of the professional, Official World Golf Ranking. They are:

Hideki Matsuyama (No. 21) Cameron Smith (No. 32) Satoshi Kodaira (No. 48) Siwoo Kim (No. 56) Ryan Fox (No. 82) Cameron Davis (No. 99) CT Pan (No. 100)

The week of the first AAC in 2009, there was one player in the field ranked in the top 50 (from Australia). This week there are 10 players in the field in the top 50, with 6 countries represented (Australia, Thailand, China, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Japan). Note: There are 11 total players in the top 50 from the Asia-Pacific (one from Australia is not competing this week).

There are 14 players in the field this week ranked in the top-100 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

39 Countries are being represented in the 2018 AAC with 120 participants in total. There are 41 countries in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation.

The player from Cambodia (Vanseiha Seng) who has competed in all 10 AACs shot his lowest round ever in the event yesterday. He shot a 3-over 73, which is also the lowest round by a player from Cambodia.

.............

Yesterday evening we took a trip to Singapore’s Boat Quay to sample some of the city’s superb nightlife and soak up the striking night-time cityscapes. It’s a pretty impressive place with a mix of towering modern skyscrapers and older, colonial style buildings. Boat Quay itself is an example of that juxtaposition between old and new. Formerly the busiest port in Old Singapore, the shops and restaurants along the front have been preserved in the style from when the port was at its busiest, in the late 19th century. But surrounding are massive, thoroughly modern buildings housing banks and other businesses. It’s a cool blend.

There are also the hotels, the biggest of them being the incredible Marina Bay Sands. It’s enormous with a mind-boggling 2,561 bedrooms, its own shopping mall, a museum and two theatres. It cost an eye-watering $8 billion to build.

It’s a striking edifice, topped by a 340-metre-long “SkyPark” platform with a 150m infinity swimming pool. That sounds pretty cool, but we were reliably informed that it can get rather busy. With up to 5,000 guests staying there at any one time, we wondered if you have to book a “tee time” to take a dip!

We enjoyed exceptional canapes and drinks in the rooftop bar at the Michelin starred Braci restaurant on the waterfront. As one does... I soaked in the tremendous views while sipping on a martini, imagining I was starring in a James Bond film (minus the threat of baddies!)

We then took to the water for a spectacular boat ride around the quay to really get a feel for the scale of the buildings that surround it. Again, quite James Bond but, again, no threat of being dragged into the propeller of a tanker ship or fired upon by a gunboat.

All in all, it was a brilliant and slightly surreal evening, just a little removed from an autumnal Aberdeenshire. Not as far from home as my nearest neighbour in the media centre though – he’s from New York and has just told me that his journey here, via LA and Hong Kong was 22,000 miles. We got in to the course at 9am this morning (Friday) and he pointed out to me that back on the west coast of the U.S, that’s 6pm Thursday.

First impressions

After a very smooth flight into Singapore’s spotless international airport, I’ve arrived at Sentosa Golf Club – venue for this year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

In typically Scottish fashion, I made it just in time to enjoy yesterday evening’s cocktail reception at the club to celebrate the start of the, 10th instalment, of this increasingly prestigious competition. As well as sampling some rather excellent food and drink, the players gathered to listen to Ian Pattinson – Chairman of the R&A, Fred Ridley the chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, together with Asia-Pacific Golf Championship chairman Mr Kei Muratsu speak eloquently and inspiringly on the championship and the opportunities it presents. The representatives from the founding partners then treated us all to a short-game masterclass, pitching with illuminated, multi-coloured golf balls to an illuminated pin some 40 yards onto the putting green. The players then had a chance to show us all how it was done and they put on a rather impressive light-show.

A good evening was had by all and I very nearly missed the last bus back to the hotel. In fact, I was the only person in the last bus and the driver was a little miffed at having to wait for me. I apologised profusely and made the point, as noted above, that I am Scottish and that when free food and drink is available, I have a duty to make the very most of it.

Now, the fun and games are out of the way and the golf takes centre stage. The early starters are proving the quality of the field here at Sentosa GC.

At this point, the superbly named Lloyd Jefferson Go from the Philippines leads the way after an opening round of five-under-par 65. He had reached seven-under but dropped shots at his final two holes, the 8th and 9th. This is the 23-year-old’s sixth appearance in the event and his best finish came back in 2015 when he was tied eighth. He played College golf in the U.S. for Seton Hall University and was twice a Big East player of the year.

"Yes, delighted to get off to a fast start," he said. "I think I made the most of an early tee time. It's definitely best to get out there when it isn't quite so hot. For the last nine holes I had to get under the umbrella. I'm from the Philippines though so I am used to the heat."

I’ve been out for a stroll around the course and have made a few initial observations:

1 – It is hot. For me anyway, it’s very hot. I’ve watched golf in some fairly warm locations and I judge the relative heat by how many bottles of water I’m stealing from the players’ ice-buckets on each tee… This is a one-per-hole heat - I'm having to be extremely surrepitious.

2 – The course is in immaculate condition. I’d heard from various sources at the drinks reception last night that the New Tanjong at Sentosa has been prepared and presented brilliantly but, being the cynical old hack I am, I was reserving judgement, as you hear people saying that at almost every tournament venue. Having seen it though, the reports can be confirmed. It’s turned out beautifully, and it’s clearly rewarding good play.

3 – The standard of play is, indeed, very good. I’ve seen it at the Latin America Amateur Champs over the last few years and things have certainly moved on since I last visited this event eight years ago. There’s strength in depth at the event here in Singapore. At the time of writing, 30 players are at par or better on what looks to be a pretty tough golf course.

I'm going to watch some golf this afternoon and to try my hardest to stay hydrated. Those ice-buckets better watch out.

Preview

Eight years ago, I travelled to Japan for the second instalment of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC). The event was played at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe near Tokyo, it’s where the 2020 Olympic Golf Tournament will take place and where Donald Trump recently had a knock with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Even in its relative infancy, I was impressed by the level of organisation at the 2010 AAC. The significance of the event to all those participating was clear, and the level of play in the competition itself was superb. An 18-year-old Japanese player took the title that year with a tremendous four-round-total of 15-under-par. Hideki Matsuyama went on to defend his title the following year and then to become one of the very best golfers in the world.

14-year-old, Guan Tianlang of China won the fourth edition of the AAC in 2012, while Lee Chang-woo from South Korea claimed the title the next year in China.

Australian Antonio Murdaca won in 2014 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club then, in 2015, Chinese No. 1-ranked amateur golfer Jin Cheng fired a course-record eight-under 62 en-route to winning the AAC at The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club in Hong Kong.

Australia’s Curtis Luck overturned a seven-stroke deficit to secure a one-shot victory over compatriot Brett Coletta at the eighth Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship held at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Korea.

Last year, 17-year-old Yuxin Lin became the third Chinese AAC champion, closing with a birdie and an eagle in the final round to win by three shots at Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand.

A key reason for the prestige of the AAC is the prizes that are on offer. Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of this year's tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2019 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Portmarnock.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal Portrush.

These incredible opportunities mean the AAC attracts a strong field with the top amateur players from the 41 countries affiliated to the APGC making up the 120-man entry list. Each country can send two players with the remaining spaces being filled by those ranked highest on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Each country can send a maximum of six players, although the home nation is allowed 10.

This week sees the 10th running of the AAC at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore. Last year’s winner Yuxin Lin of China plays again, as does his compatriot and 2017 runner-up Andy Zhang. There are some excellent amateur golfers in the field:

Min Woo Lee of Australia is the top ranked player. He is currently 10th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand is 11th. Also from Australia – David Micheluzzi is 13th on the WAGR with Andy Zhang of China 15th and New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier 19th. Takumi Kanaya is the top-ranked Japanese player at 21st on the WAGR.

Things have changed considerably since I first went to Japan to report on this event in 2010. At that time, very few of the field were ranked in the top-100 on the WAGR, the winner Matsuyama was outside the top-500. Going into this event there are 18 players from the Asia-Pacific region ranked in the top-100. That reflects the changing dynamic of global golf and the success which this event has had in encouraging elite amateur golf to flourish across the region.

What about the venue for this week? First opened in 1974, Sentosa Golf Club became the host of the Singapore Open in 2005, which is now the SMBC Singapore Open, as well as the HSBC Women’s Champions since 2012. The club is home to two golf courses and is located on the resort island of Sentosa, surrounded by scenic views of the Singapore Harbour and Singapore Straits.

The 2018 AAC will be conducted on The New Tanjong Course. Originally designed by Frank Pennick in 1972 with the help of Singaporeans Dennis Lee and Alan Choe, The New Tanjong was redesigned in 2016 by Andrew Johnston and Matt Swanson.

I’ve never been to Singapore but I’m very much looking forward to visiting – It’s a pretty small place, the main island being just 30 miles across and 17 miles from north to south. But the population is almost 6 million, so I’m prepared for it to be just a touch busier than rural Aberdeenshire. I’m prepared for it to be just a touch hotter too with forecasted temperatures around the 33 deg C mark for the duration – that’s pretty standard I think as Singapore is almost on the equator and has no distinct seasons.

I’m picturing towering, glinting skyscrapers and bustling streets but I’ve also heard there are lovely gardens to explore and wonderful food to sample…. I’ll keep you up to date with all that as I go along.

I head off tomorrow via Amsterdam and, with only an hour to make my connection at Schiphol, I’m a little nervous about everything running smoothly… All being well, I should be in Singapore by Wednesday afternoon ready for the tournament starting on Thursday. I’ll keep you posted...

Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines and Cheng Jin of China lead the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship by a shot after two rounds at Sentosa GC in Singapore.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Day 2 Report

Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines continued the excellent form he showed on day one to fire a second round 67 and post a 36-hole total of eight-under par.

This is the 23-year-old’s sixth appearance in the event and his best finish came back in 2015 when he was tied eighth. He played College golf in the U.S. for Seton Hall University and was twice a Big East player of the year.

“I scrambled well today, that was key,” he said. “I haven’t been playing that well coming in to this event, so I didn’t have huge expectations. It’s nice to have such good stuff. I’m going to take it one day at a time though.”

One of the last players to finish, Cheng Jin also carded a 67 to reach eight-under-par through 36 holes. Jin won this event in 2015 and is looking to match Hideki Matsuyama as a two-time winner of the championship. Jin is a Junior at the University of Southern California and has previously won a pro event on the PGA Tour China.

“My short game was good today and I recovered well from the mistakes,” he said. “It would mean everything to me to have a chance to win again and go play the Masters again.”

Jin-Bo Ha of South Korea played his first nine holes today in 32 to reach seven-under-par and he finished on that score to post a 36-hole total of 133. Ha is based in Sao Paolo in Brazil and is playing in this event for a third time. The 20-year-old has won seven times in Brazil over the last two years in professional and amateur events.

Also on seven-under, tied for third, is China’s Zheng Kai Bai. He fired a 67 today featuring four birdies and just one dropped shot. Bai is making his first appearance in this event and is a Junior at the University of Central Florida.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand fired an error-free 66 to follow his 68 from yesterday to reach six-under at the halfway stage. Kaewkanjana is ranked 10th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and is second top ranked player in the field this week. Kaewkanjana’s countryman K.K. Limbhasut carded a 68 to finish tied with Kaewkanjana on six-under-par.

Won-Jun Lee of South Korea followed a solid opening 68 with another fine round of 67. He sits in a tie for five-under-par in seventh place with Yung-Hau Liu of Chinese Taipei, Australian David Micheluzzi, Keita Nakajima of Japan and Min Woo Lee of Australia.

India’s Rayhan Thomas played himself back into contention with a brilliant 64 that included seven birdies and just one bogey. The 18-year-old is based in Dubai and he made the cut in the 2017 Dubai Desert Classic. In 2016, he won the Scottish Boys Stroke Play.

Japan’s Sean Maruyama, son of professional star Shigeki, carded a 68 to reach three-under for the week.

With his sister Nat on the bag, New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier pitched in from the bunker on the 18th hole for an excellent 65 to bounce back from a disappointing 72 on day 1. He’s three-under for the tournament.

First round leader David Micheluzzi of Australia came out of the blocks fast with a birdie at his first hole. But he couldn’t keep up the pace. In the end he signed for a 71 to sit five-under through 36 holes. Just three shots off the lead, he is still very much in contention.

In fact, with 13 players within five of the lead and 35 at par or better for 36 holes, the tournament remains wide open, with the incredible prizes on offer in the event up for grabs.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of this tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2019 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Portmarnock.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal Portrush.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Round 2 Scores

T1 Lloyd Jefferson Go (Phi) -8 T1 Cheng Jin (Can) -8 T3 Jin-Bo Ha (Kor) -7 T3 Zheng Kai Bai (Chn) -7 T5 Sadom Kaewkanjana (Tha) -6 T5 K.K. Limbhasut (Tha) -6 T7 Won-Jun Lee (Kor) -5 T7 Yung-Hua Liu (The) -5 T7 David Micheluzzi (Aus) -5 T7 Keita Nakajima (Jap) -5 T7 Min Woo Lee (Aus) -5

Leading 60 players and ties after round two make the cut. Cut fell at six-over-par.

A closing eagle gave Australia's David Micheluzzi the lead in the 10th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship after round one at Sentosa GC.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: Day 1 Report

David Micheluzzi of Australia holed out for eagle on the 18th hole to take the first round lead in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) at Sentosa GC in Singapore.

Last out at Sentosa GC, Micheluzzi reached the turn in two-under-par and then birdied the par-5 16th to get to four-under for the day. He then added the perfect finish to an already excellent round with an eagle two on the 18th to reach six-under and card an impressive 64.

Lloyd Jefferson Go from the Philippines, Cheng Jin of China and Chinese Taipei’s Yung-Hua Liu are tied for second after opening rounds of five-under-par 65.

Among the afternoon starters, Yung-Hua Liu of Chinese Taipei went out in one-over-par 36, but he turned on the afterburners on the run for home. He birdied the 10th and then five in a row from the 12th to move to five-under. He came home in 29 to equal the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded in the AAC.

"I had a good strategy for the day and the back nine was pretty special," he said. "I have to keep it going now."

Although only 20-years-old, Cheng Jin is making his seventh start in the AAC. He won the event in 2015 and has a number of impressive achievements to his name. He is a Junior at the University of Southern California and has previously won a pro event on the PGA Tour China.

Jin made six birdies and just one bogey in halves of 34 and 31.

The Philippines Lloyd Jefferson Go had reached seven-under in the latter stages of his morning round but dropped shots at his final two holes, the 8th and 9th.

This is the 23-year-old’s sixth appearance in the event and his best finish came back in 2015 when he was tied eighth. He played College golf in the U.S. for Seton Hall University and was twice a Big East player of the year.

“Yes, delighted to get off to a fast start,” he said. “I think I made the most of an early tee time. It’s definitely best to get out there when it isn’t quite so hot. For the last nine holes I had to get under the umbrella. I’m from the Philippines though so I am used to the heat.”

The heat was certainly a factor today, it cooled slightly in the afternoon but the wind picked up and a little rain started to fall. That meant conditions were a touch tougher for the later starters. The majority of the day’s good scores came from the first half of the field.

Five players are tied fifth on four-under-par with rounds of 66, Min Woo Lee of Australia, Indonesia’s Naraajie Ramadhan, K.K. Limbhasut of Thailand, Zheng Kai Bai from China and Jin-Bo Ha of South Korea . Min Woo Lee of Australia – the top ranked player in the field this week, birdied his final hole to post a very solid opening score. K.K Limbhasut posted an error-free round with four birdies and no bogeys. All those players teed off in the morning wave. South Korea's Ha holed out with his second shot a the par-4 18th to card 66.

Overall, today’s scoring provides clear evidence of the increasing strength in depth of the fields for the AAC. No fewer than 37 players matched or beat par at Sentosa GC today. Even for those not contending for the title, this event provides a tremendous experience – playing in such a prestigious tournament on such a brilliant golf course.

Home player Hadi Abdul came out of the blocks fast in the early afternoon. He carded four birdies in his first seven holes but was pushed back by a double-bogey on the eighth. He finished level par for the day.

The New Tanjong layout at Sentosa has been receiving significant praise from competitors and officials. It’s been beautifully presented this week and is delivering a firm but fair test of tournament golf.

There’s still all to play for as we look towards day 2 of the AAC and the pressure will build as players at the top of the leaderboard contemplate the incredible prizes on offer this week.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in conjunction with The R&A and The Masters Tournament, the winner of this tournament receives: An invitation to compete in the 2019 Masters Tournament plus direct entry into The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019. He will also receive an exemption into The Amateur Championship to be played at Portmarnock.

The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series with the opportunity to qualify for Royal Portrush.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – Round 1 Scores

1 David Micheluzzi (Aus) 64 T2 Lloyd Jefferson Go (Phi) 65 T2 Cheng Jin (Chn) 65 T2 Yung-Hua Liu (Tpe) 65 T5 Naraajie Ramadhan (Idn) 66 T5 K.K. Limbhusut (Tha) 66 T5 Zheng Kai Bai (Chn) 66 T5 Min Woo Lee (Aus) 66 T5 Jin-Bo Ha (Kor) 66 T10 Tanapat Pichaikool (Tha) 67 T10 Keita Nakajima (Jap) 67 T10 Dongmin Kim (Kor) 67

Leading 60 players and ties after round two make the cut.

Tom won his biggest title to date with a nine under par total for 72 holes

Tom Thurloway Wins Walton Heath Trophy

Tom Thurloway, from Chartham Park in East Grinstead, enjoyed a perfect dress rehearsal of a new life in Jacksonville, Florida, when he won the Walton Heath Trophy for the Michael Lunt Salver by two shots at scorching Walton Heath.

In temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, Thurloway revelled in the July heatwave conditions, shooting rounds of 69,68,69 and 73 for a nine under par total of 279 to capture the impressive trophy by two strokes from Chelmsford’s Alasdair Plumb.

Related: Walton Heath GC Old Course Review

The 20-year-old from Crawley in Sussex coped superbly with the hot, dry and bouncy conditions, which is fortunate as the new champion is due to head to Jacksonville University in the Sunshine State of Florida this autumn.

And, coincidentally, it was the weather which played its part in Thurloway’s decision to leave the University of Toledo after his freshman year to move to the balmy heat of Florida.

“The weather in Ohio isn’t great,” admitted Thurloway.

“In addition, there was also the fact that Toledo is ranked about 100th in US college golf while Jacksonville is around 50th. David Wicks (a past Arnold Palmer Cup team member and friend) advised me to switch.”

The Walton Heath Trophy brought Thurloway his first 72-hole stroke-play success, which he described as the biggest win of his career.

Related: Walton Heath GC New Course Review

A third round three under par 69 over the New Course had given him a two-stroke lead going into the final round over the Old Course and despite a mid-round stumble he held on to win by two clear shots.

He added: “I had played terribly the week before in the Tillman Trophy and my head was all over the place. But I had a good chat with Ryan Fenwick, who coaches European Tour pro Justin Walters, and he cleared my mind.”

Plumb, a former Loughborough University student and Essex County Champion, burst into contention in the third round with a best of the week 64 over the New Course before closing with a 73 over the Old to finish with a seven under par total of 281.

There was a three-way tie for third on 283 involving Ryan Brooks of Whittington Heath, Harry Goddard (Hanbury Manor) and Tom Sloman (Taunton & Pickeridge).

The United States produced a commanding performance to defeat GB&I by a record score of 17-3 in the 40th Curtis Cup match at Quaker Ridge in New York.

USA dominates 40th Curtis Cup to win in record fashion

Team USA led the 40th Curtis Cup, contested between the leading women amateur players from the USA and GB&I, by 9-3 going into Sunday’s singles at Quaker Ridge. The home side won every match on the final day to complete the biggest ever victory in the biennial competition.

Needing just one and a half point to win the Cup, Sophia Schubert got the home side off to the perfect start by beating Olivia Mehaffey 2&1 in the first match.

Moments later it was all over when Kristen Gillman secured the winning point after a comprehensive 5&4 win over Annabell Fuller. In doing so, Gillman became only the third player after Stacey Lewis (2008) and Bronte Law (2016) to go 5-0-0 in a single Curtis Cup match since the new three-day format was introduced.

15-year-old Lucy Li added a 5&4 victory against India Clyburn before Jennifer Kupcho’s 2&1 success over Lily May Humphreys made it 13-3 to the United States.

A long-range birdie from the world's leading woman amateur golfer Lilia Vu made sure of a win against Sophie Lamb by two holes. Andrea Lee closed her match out against Alice Hewson on the 17th hole to win 2&1 and give her side a 15-3 lead.

Lauren Stephenson sealed her match against Shannon McWilliam in style with a fantastic birdie putt which dropped from around 12 feet to give the 20-year-old a 2&1 victory. Mariel Galdiano defeated Paula Grant by one hole in the last match out on the course to give the United States a 17-3 win.

“It’s a great feeling and of course I've never been on a losing side. It's good to see the team get to experience that winning feeling,” said USA captain Virginia Derby Grimes.

“Last night we just talked a little bit and I just told them to enjoy the moment and be patient on the greens. The whole week has been phenomenal and I can't say any one moment has stood out. There have been so many great moments.”

GB&I captain Elaine Farquharson-Black, who had also captained the GB&I side to victory two years ago in Ireland, looked to put the result in perspective.

“We have a very young team and the players will have learned lots from this experience which will stand them in good stead for the future,” she said. “They have given it their all this in this match and I’m very proud of them.”

The USA now leads the overall Curtis Cup series 29-8-3. The 41st Curtis Cup match will be played at Conwy (Caernarvonshire) Golf Club in Wales from 12-14 June 2020.

The USA is now in possesion of the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup, the Walker Cup and the Curtis Cup.

Great Britain & Ireland begin their defence of the Curtis Cup against hosts the USA at Quaker Ridge GC in New York this Friday.

GB&I defends Curtis Cup at Quaker Ridge

After a superb 11.5 to 8.5 victory at Dun Laoghaire in Dublin two years ago, Elaine Farquharson-Black returns to captain GB&I’s leading amateur women golfers as they bid to retain the Curtis Cup.

In this, the 40th running of the biennial women’s international match, GB&I is seeking a ninth win and, although aware of the challenge ahead of them, team captain Farquharson-Black is confident of success.

“We know that it will be a difficult match and we don’t have the backing of the home crowd as we did in Ireland two years ago,” she said. “But we are confident that we have a strong mix of experienced and talented golfers who are ready to perform to the best of their capabilities in one of the world’s most prestigious amateur golf events.”

Olivia Mehaffey and Alice Hewson are the only players returning from the side that won at Dun Laoghaire in 2016. Mehaffey feels she can use that experience to help the six girls who are making their debuts at Quaker Ridge.

“When I played at Dun Laoghaire two years ago I learned a lot from the players who had already experienced playing in the Curtis Cup,” said Mehaffey. “I feel that it is now my role to help the younger players by taking them under my wing. It’s a long week and the Curtis Cup is different to other golf tournaments so it’s good to help prepare the new players for what lies ahead.”

Both teams are very young with Paula Grant of Ireland the oldest on either side at just 24. Annabel Fuller is the youngest on team GB&I at only 15 and Lucy Li from the USA is the same age.

The Curtis Cup is played over three days with eight singles matches, six foursomes matches and six fourballs matches. The United States leads the overall series 28-8-3.

Last time out at Dun Laoghaire, GB&I played some brilliant golf to win the Cup by 11.5 to 8.5. The real damage was done on the Saturday when the home side took five of the six points available.

Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale New York was founded in 1916. Designed by A.W. Tillinghast, the course is known for its narrow fairways. The club played host to the Walker Cup in 1997; a contest ominously won convincingly by the home side.

How to watch the Curtis Cup

TV Coverage: Friday 8 – Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Mix from 5pm Saturday 9 – Sky Sports Golf from 4.30pm Sunday 10 – Sky Sports Golf Red Button from 6pm

Not a Sky Sports customer and want to watch the Curtis Cup?

Why not buy a Now TV pass? For £7.99 you can get a day pass if you wish to watch one of the rounds or, for just £12.99, you can get a week pass to see the whole tournament.

Buy a Now TV Sky Sports Day Pass for £7.99 Buy a Now TV Sky Sports Week Pass for £12.99

TEAMS

GB&I India Clyburn (21) Annabel Fuller (15) Paula Grant (24) Alice Hewson (20) Lily May Humphreys (16) Sophie Lamb (20) Shannon McWilliam (18) Olivia Mehaffey (20)

USA Mariel Galdiano (19) Kristen Gillman (20) Jennifer Kupcho (20) Andrea Lee (19) Lucy Li (15) Sophia Schubert (22) Lauren Stephenson (20) Lilia Vu (20)

This year’s prestigious South East of England Links Championship (SEELC) to be contested by leading amateurs from the UK and overseas at Royal St George’s and Royal Cinque Ports Golf Clubs will be held between August 30th and September 1st.

The South East of England Links Championshp (SEELC) is contested over the links at Royal St George’s and Royal Cinque Ports and is recognised by England Golf as an Order of Merit event and by the R&A as a World Amateur Golf Ranking event.

The event which was first held in 2010 has, until this year, taken place in May. It has been moved to a late August slot this season to better fit in with the elite amateur calendar, with a view towards attracting more top amateur golfers from this country and overseas to this prestigious event. Importantly, it will also mean the competition is played at a time of year when the courses at St George’s and Cinque Ports are in peak condition.

The SEELC is open to any male golfer with a handicap of 1.4 or below and entry will be limited to 90 competitors who will play one round at Royal St George’s on Thursday 30th August and one round at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club on the Friday. The top 40 lowest scores over the 36 holes, and any tying for 40th place, will qualify for the final 36 holes to be played at St George’s on the Saturday. Last year’s SEELC winner was Will Poole of Mendip Spring GC.

The event may be relatively new, having begun life in 2010, but it incorporates two historic competitions: The St. George’s Champion Grand Challenge Cup and The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, to be held at St George’s and Cinque Ports respectively within the SEELC.

The St George’s Grand Challenge Cup (The GC) together with The Open Championship are the only stroke play events open to non-members at Royal St George’s. It will be awarded to the player with the best 36-hole aggregate score at Royal St George’s on the Saturday.

First contested in 1888, the inaugural Grand Challenge Cup was won by the great John Ball. Other early winners included Golf Monthly founding editor Harold Hilton (pictured above on the roof of The Savoy,) Francis Ouimet and Roger Wethered. In 1959 Jack Nicklaus was champion and Sir Michael Bonallack was also a winner. In 1992 Lee Westwood took the title.

Founded in 1887, Royal St George’s was the first English course to play host to The Open Championship, which it did in 1894. The club has welcomed golf’s most prestigious tournament 13 times in all, with Darren Clarke the most recent Open champion at St George’s, in 2011. The club has also hosted The Amateur Championship on 13 occasions.

Dating from 1892, Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club has twice played host to The Open Championship. In 1909 J.H. Taylor picked up the fourth of his five Open titles there then, in 1920, George Duncan ran out as the winner. It’s a course that has welcomed numerous other significant competitions over the years including The Amateur Championship and the Brabazon Trophy. Each year, the club plays host to the Halford Hewitt Public Schools competition.

For more information on the SEELC and to enter the tournament, go to the Royal St George's website.

Joaquin Niemann of Chile fired a spectacular final round 63 to win the Latin America Amateur Championship at the Prince of Wales CC in Santiago, Chile. The World’s Number 1 amateur golfer, Niemann has earned a start in the 2018 Masters.

Joaquin Niemann, ranked as the World’s Number 1 amateur golfer, came into the LAAC as the favourite and he lived up to his billing. After a disappointing first round of 74, the 19-year-old bounced back brilliantly with a second round 64. He followed that with a steady 72 in round three and then turned on the style in the final round to pull away from the field. Closing with a superb round of 63, the Chilean finished five clear of Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico and has earned an invitation to the 2018 Masters.

Niemann started the fourth round at the Prince of Wales CC steadily with two pars before taking advantage of the par-5 3rd hole where he made his first birdie of the day. At that stage he was still a shot off the lead but he made his move around the turn. A fabulous eagle two on the par-4 8th sparked an incredible run as he followed up wiht four straight birdies to take charge of the tournament. Through 12 holes Niemann was four ahead of Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz who had led the event through 54-holes.

Niemann then birdied the par-5 14th to get to 11-under and eight-under for the day. He negotiated the challenging home stretch at the Prince of Wales CC with four pars from the 15th to finish the tournament on 11-under-par and to become the 2018 LAAC champion.

Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico led by a stroke through 54-holes. The 22-year-old closed with a two-under-par 69 to finish alone in second place. It is the second straight year Ortiz has been runner-up in the championship. In the four instalments of the LAAC, Ortiz has only once finished outside the top three.

"It's disappointing and it's not easy to have just missed out again," he said. "But I can take the positives as I feel I played very well. I can learn from the defeat and that will help me when I look towards my professional career."

Three players tied for third place on five-under-par – Jaime Lopez Rivarola of Argentina, who had led through 36-holes, Gabriel Morgan Birke of Chile and Daniel Gurtner of Guatemala.

As the winner of the LAAC, Joaquin Niemann receives an invitation to compete in The Masters Tournament. As recipient of the Mark McCormack Medal as the world’s leading amateur golfer, he would also be exempt for this year’s Open Championship and U.S Open Championship as long as he doesn’t turn professional.

Runner up Ortiz receives exemptions into the final stages of qualifying for The Open Championship with an opportunity to earn a place in The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

Niemann is great friends with the 2017 LAAC winner Toto Gana. In Panama last year, Gana defeated Niemann and Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz in a playoff for the title. Niemann then travelled with his countryman Gana to last year’s Masters. This time out it will be Niemann competing at Augusta.

“I can’t wait to tee it up there in April,” he said. “I’m feeling emotional right now, I can hardly believe it.”

The LAAC was first contested in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2015 and was won that year by Matias Dominguez of Chile. Three of the four winners of the event have come from Chile – Dominguez, Toto Gana and now Joaquin Niemann.

LAAC – Final Scores

1 Joaquin Niemann (Chi) -11 2 Alvaro Ortiz (Mex) -6 T3 Jaime Lopez Rivarola (Arg) -5 T3 Daniel Gurtner (Gua) -5 T3 Gabriel Morgan Birke (Chi) -5 6 Camilo Aguado (Col) -4 T7 Toto Gana (Chi) -2 T7 Manuel Torres (Ven) -2 T9 Gustavo Silvero (Par) -1 T9 Nicolas Herrera (Col) -1

Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico leads the Latin America Amateur Championship in Santiago, Chile by one shot from a group of four players including the defending champion Toto Gana and the World’s Number 1 amateur Joaquin Niemann, both from Chile.

Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz, who lost out to Toto Gana in a playoff for the LAAC last year, carded a one-under-par 70 at the Prince of Wales CC in Santiago to finish three rounds of this year’s tournament at four-under-par. The 22-year-old, a senior at the University of Arkansas, got to five-under twice in his round but dropped back both times. He managed to par the testing last hole to get it into the clubhouse at four-under, one ahead of the field.

After the round, Ortiz spoke of his playoff loss in Panama and what it will take for him to get the victory this time out.

“I have literally been thinking about getting back into this position (to have a chance of winning) for a whole year,” he said. “I am an emotional player and what I have learned in the last year is that I have to go into tomorrow’s round with a full tank of patience and to really control myself on the course. I’m looking forward to it.”

The three players who contested the playoff for the third LAAC in Panama last season are once again to the fore in this year’s championship. Ortiz leads, with defending champion Toto Gana and World Amateur Number 1 Joaquin Niemann tied for second with Jaime Lopez Riverola and Daniel Gurtner, just a stroke behind.

Chile’s Niemann started well in round three and after birdies at the 3rd and 4th holes, he reached six-under. But those gains were cancelled out by dropped shots at the 6th and 7th holes and another one went on the difficult 18th. He carded a one-over-par 72 for a 54-hole total of three-under.

Toto Gana, also a home player and receiving tremendous support from the large galleries, also scored 72. His round included two birdies and three dropped shots.

Overnight leader Jaime Lopez Riverola of Argentina held his position at the top of the board until he encountered problems on the 17th. After finding the trees from the tee, his third shot leaked right into the greenside bunker and he was unable to get up-and-down. The double bogey saw him drop back to three-under.

The 18th, a par-4 playing at just under 500 yards and into a stiff breeze, caused problems for a number of players and only two birdies were recorded on it through the day. Both Toto Gana and Joaquin Niemann dropped shots at the hole.

There are 16 players within five shots of the lead with a round to play and all of them will feel they have a chance going into tomorrow.

Instruction video: stabilise your swing:

Round of the day came from Julian Perico of Peru. He posted a 67 to move up the board into a tie for 22nd on four-over-par.

Daniel Gurtner of Guatemala carded an excellent 69 today to reach three-under-par for the tournament, just one off the lead in a tie for second. He’s looking to become the first player from Guatemala to play in The Masters.

The winner of the LAAC receives: an invitation to compete in The Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.

In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into the final stages of qualifiying for The Open Championship with an opportunity to earn a place in The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

LAAC Round 3 – Leading scores

1 Alvaro Ortiz (Mex) -4 T2 Jaime Lopez Riverola (Arg) -3 T2 Toto Gana (Chi) -3 T2 Joaquin Niemann (Chi) -3 T2 Daniel Gurtner (Gua) -3 T6 Mario Carmona (Mex) -2 T6 Manuel Torres (Ven) -2 T6 Gabriel Morgan Birke (Chi) -2 T6 Aaron Terrazas (Mex) -2 T6 Camilo Aguado (Col) -2

Jaime Lopez Rivarola of Argentina leads the fourth Latin America Amateur championship at the halfway stage after a second round 68 at the Prince of Wales CC in Santiago, Chile.

Jaime Lopez Rivarola of Argentina followed an opening 69 with a second round 68 to sit on five-under-par through 36 holes of the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) and to lead by a shot from Chileans Toto Gana and Joaquin Niemann.

Lopez Rivarola carded five birdies against just three bogeys to post one of the best rounds of the day in the more challenging, windy afternoon conditions.

The Argentinian is playing in his fourth LAAC and believes that his experience in the first three instalments is helping him this week.

“I’ve been here before and I am really aware of trying to stay in the present,” he said. “Yes, I am the leader by a shot but really it doesn’t mean too much at this stage. I have to focus on tomorrow as that is another day.”

A graduate of the University of Georgia, Lopez Rivarola is no stranger to Augusta and The Masters tournament. The winner of this event will secure a start in the 2018 Masters this April.

“Yes, I have been lucky enough to cross playing Augusta off my bucket list through my university,” he said. “And I have been able to attend The Masters while I was there too. But playing in The Masters is a different thing altogether.”

World Amateur number 1, Joaquin Niemann of Chile bounced back strongly from a disappointing first round. He carded a brilliant 64 to move to four-under-par for the tournament.

Niemann started his round on the 10th and he came racing out of the blocks with five birdies in his first seven holes. After a dropped shot on the 17th, his 8th, he reached the turn in just 31 strokes.

A bogey on the 2nd was sandwiched between birdies on the 1st and 3rd holes and he then played some steady golf with five straight pars to the 9th. On his final hole, the 561-yard par-5 9th, the 19-year-old hit a huge drive and had just an iron in for his second. He found the bunker just left of the putting surface and then holed out for an eagle three and a 64, eliciting rapturous applause from the sizeable home crowd.

“Yesterday I was letting the course get the better of me,” he said. “Today I had a completely different mentality. When I shoot a bad round I have extra motivation and I feel I have to play my best golf.”

Overnight leader and defending champion Toto Gana of Chile kept up his steady play with a second round 70. He closed with a birdie from off the green on the 18th to finish 36 holes within just a shot of the lead.

Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico shared the lead with two holes to play in his second round but he closed with two bogeys to finish with a 70 and on three-under, two off the lead.

The winner of the LAAC receives: an invitation to compete in The Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.

In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into the final stages of qualifiying for The Open Championship with an opportunity to earn a place in The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

LAAC Round 2 – Leading scores

1 Jaime Lopez Rivarola (Arg) -5 T2 Toto Gana (Chi) -4 T2 Joaquin Niemann (Chi) -4 4 Alvaro Ortiz (Mex) -3 T5 Mario Carmona (Mex) -1 T5 Andy Schonbaum (Arg) -1 T5 Jorge Garcia (Ven) -1 T5 Daniel Gurtner (Gua) -1 T5 Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira -1

World Number 1 amateur Joaquin Niemann has bounced back from a disappointing first day at the LAAC in some style. The Chilean posted a stunning 64 to take the tournament lead.

Joaquin Niemann of Chile holed a bunker shot on his 18th hole at the Prince of Wales CC for an eagle and a fabulous second round of 64. After a disappointing round of three-over on day one, the World’s Number 1 amateur golfer was 10 strokes better on day two and now leads the way in the fourth instalment of the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC.)

Niemann started his round on the 10th and he came racing out of the blocks with five birdies in his first seven holes. After a dropped shot on the 17th, his 8th, he reached the turn in just 31 strokes.

A bogey on the 2nd was sandwiched between birdies on the 1st and 3rd holes and he then played some steady golf with five straight pars from the 4th. On his final hole, the 561-yard par-5 9th, he hit a huge drive and had just an iron in for his second. He found the bunker left of the putting surface and then holed out for an eagle three, eliciting rapturous applause from the sizeable home crowd.

“It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen following me,” he said. “I really enjoyed it and I was able to feed off the energy.”

The World’s Number 1

On the eve of the tournament, at a gala reception here at the Prince of Wales CC, Joaquin Niemann was presented with the Mark McCormack Medal, awarded by the R&A to the leading player on the World Amateur Golf Ranking at the end of each season.

There are roughly 60 million amateur golfers in the world and Joaquin Niemann is currently the best of us. So what does the best amateur in the world look like on the golf course? I followed Niemann for 15 holes today to find out.

Well, he shot 64 around a tight and tricky course, and he made it look pretty easy so basically, he looked rather impressive. But let’s break it down a little.

Firstly, although he has a very slight frame, he generates tremendous clubhead speed and power. He can hit the ball miles and he’s an exceptional driver. On the 1st hole (his 10th) he almost drove the green – it measures 361 yards. Sending the ball skyward with a huge, towering flight, it ended on the apron, some 50 yards ahead of his playing partners. From there it was just a simple chip and putt to card another birdie.

But he’s also long through the bag. On the 16th he hit the longest shot I’ve ever seen struck with a hybrid club. I don’t know what loft it had on it but it went stratospheric and on a line I couldn’t believe he had meant to take – straight over a copse of massive trees. But he had intended that line and when we got round the corner of the dog-leg, there was his ball in the middle of the fairway, only 60 or so yards short of the green. I’d estimate that he’d hit it 310 yards.

He employs an aggressive strategy, which is facilitated by his long, yet straight driving. Most players who have come into the press room have commented that this is a course where accuracy is key and hitting driver is not necessarily the play. Niemann is maybe not aware of that – He was boosting his driver off almost every tee.

His attitude on course seems pretty good to and his demeanour doesn’t change much whether he’s making birdie or bogey. The only emotional display I saw from him today was a reserved fist pump when he holed out for the eagle and a brilliant 64. Many of the players in this event wear their hearts on their sleeves but Niemann appears to steer a very steady emotional course. The rest of us 59.99 million amateurs could learn a lot from that.

I think that now the 19-year-old has found his feet in this tournament he could be tough to beat.

Defending LAAC champion Toto Gana of Chile shares the lead after the first round in Santiago. He’s tied at the top with Mark Montenegro of Argentina and Colombia’s Pablo Torres.

Toto Gana of Chile made a solid start in the defence of his title in the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) at the Prince of Wales CC in Santiago Chile. The home player fired a three-under-par 68 that included six birdies and three bogeys. Gana was pleased with his performance when he spoke after the round.

“I played solidly and hit the ball well,” he said. “Tomorrow is a different day but I will keep doing what I’m doing as it all seems to be working right now.”

Gana spoke of how his attitude has changed since winning the LAAC last year.

“I feel more confident now,” he said. “On the 1st tee, I feel like I know I can play well and I can contend.”

Playing in the first group off, Mark Montenegro of Argentina looked set to post the round of the day as he moved into his back nine this morning. The 20-year-old carded three birdies in an outward half of 33 before adding further gains on the 10th, 11th and 13th holes. At that point the Argentinian was three clear at six-under-par.

Montenegro let things slip a little on the run for home though as his long game began to look a little ragged. He missed the par-3 15th green well to the right and did well to salvage a bogey. A snap hook off the 17th tee resulted in another drop and a block into the trees on the last saw him fall back to three-under. Even so, Montenegro could be pleased with a good day’s work.

Pablo Torres of Colombia also finished on three-under. He completed a very steady round of 68 that included four birdies and just a single dropped shot.

Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz, who lost in a playoff to Toto Gana in Panama last year opened with a promising 69 but others who have enjoyed past success in the LAAC didn’t fare so well. 2015 champion Matias Dominguez of Chile ended with a three-over-par 74 and the runner-up from that year, and a pre-tournament favourite, Alejandro Tosti from Argentina struggled to a seven-over-par 78.

Strong or slight putting arc video:

Tournament favourite and World Number 1 Amateur Joaquin Niemann of Chile also found the going tough. He missed a number of makeable putts and was left frustrated at three-over-par.

The winner of the LAAC receives: an invitation to compete in The Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.

In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into the final stages of qualifiying for The Open Championship with an opportunity to earn a place in The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

LAAC Round 1 – Top-10 scores

T1 Toto Gana (Chi) 68 T1 Mark Montenegro (Arg) 68 T1 Pablo Torres (Col) 68 T4 Mario Carmona (Mex) 69 T4 Jaime Lopez Rivarola (Arg) 69 T4 Rhadames Pena (Dom) 69 T4 Alvaro Ortiz (Mex) 69 T4 Horacio Carbonetti (Arg) 69 T9 Agustin Errazuriz (Chi) 70 T9 Aaron Terrazas (Mex) 70 T9 Felipe Strobach (Per) 70 T9 Camilo Aguado (Col) 70 T9 Daniel Gurtner (Gua) 70 T9 Juan Jose Guerra (Dom) 70 T9 Jeronimo Esteve (Pue) 70

Play is underway in the fourth Latin America Amateur Championship and defending champion Toto Gana is one of the early leaders. Here’s the latest from the Prince of Wales CC in Santiago, Chile.

The morning starters are coming to the end of their first rounds here in the fourth LAAC at the Prince of Wales CC in Santiago, Chile. Defending champion Toto Gana has posted a 68 and is tied at the top of the leaderboard with Mark Montenegro of Argentina and Pablo Torres of Colombia. I’ve spent the morning watching the action and have seen some excellent skills on display.

The standard of play...

It impresses me every year in the LAAC but in the first few hours I’ve witnessed some exceptional ball striking and a number of incredible escapes. I think it’s the short game skills of these, mostly, young players that stands out for me. Smacking it long and straight with a driver is all very well but being able to consistently salvage pars around these highly testing greens is something else.

I watched Chile’s Jose Tomas Vargas go through the green on the short par-3 11th. His ball ended nestled in some tufty rough at the base of a fairly severe slope up to the putting surface. The pin was about six feet on with another slope down the other side about  10 feet farther on. Just looking at the predicament had me hyperventilating but Vargas just shrugged his shoulders, laughed at a pal of his who was spectating and with a nonchalance that those with my kind of short game issues could find insulting, he hit an audacious flop shot that almost disappeared up his left nostril before flying 25 feet into the air and coming down like a butterfly with gout about a foot from the cup. Ridiculous.

The setting...

Is really wonderful. We’re in the heart of this bustling and exciting city but, other than the odd siren or roaring engine, you wouldn’t know it when out on the beautifully manicured course here.

Then there are the incredible views to the towering mountains. They really are magnificent. I chatted to one of the scorers who told me that he could water ski in the summer and then snow ski in winter. It’s only an hour’s drive into the mountain to the ski lifts. I told him I only lived an hour away from skiing in Scotland and I've seen people water skiing on Aboyne Loch ... but I had to confess, it’s probably not quite the same!

Early starters set the pace

I followed the first group out through their back nine and they were doing rather well. Mark Montenegro of Argentina reached six-under at one point and was well clear of the field. But he struggled a little on the run for home and dropped three shots to end the round on three-under. It could have been a lot worse as he started to spray it around a bit over the closing holes. His short game saved him losing further shots on the 12th, 13th and 16th holes. A word has to be said for the condition of Montenegro’s Titleist blades – exceptionally sparkly. He made good use of them too and it was great to see him shaping the ball both left and right. This course really isn't just for the bombers - it's one where strategy and shot-making will be to the fore.

Also in the first group was Mario Carmona of Mexico. He played very solidly to be round in two-under and is currently one off the lead.

The Favourites

There have been mixed fortunes for some of the LAAC pre-tournament favourites on the first morning.

Defending champion Toto Gana opened with an excellent 68 that included six birdies. The home player was enjoying great support out there and he can be very pleased with the start of his campaign to retain the title.

Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz battled well to record a two-under-par 69. Last year’s runner-up looked to be struggling with his game a little when I saw him but he was doing an excellent job of keeping it together. If he can shoot 69 playing a little way below his best, he must be one to watch this week. He certainly looks capable of going lower.

2015 winner Matias Dominguez of Chile struggled a little to an opening 74, the same score as Jose Luis Montano of Bolivia.

Biggest shock of the morning might have been the disappointing 78 carded by 2015 runner-up Alejandro Tosti of Argentina. He managed just one birdie against six bogeys and a double.

LAAC returns to Dominican Republic in 2019

The Latin America Amateur Championship will return to Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic for its fifth edition, which will be held January 17-20, 2019.

Casa de Campo played host to the tournament in 2016 when Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica was the champion. The competition will, once again, take place over Pete Dye’s magnificent Teeth of the Dog course.

“It gives us great pleasure to welcome the Latin America Amateur Championship back to our beautiful resort and country,” said Andres Pichardo Rosenberg, president of Casa de Campo. “This championship is a truly special event that is helping advance the game throughout our region and paving the way for Latin America’s future golf stars. We are honoured to play a role in supporting this mission as hosts and look forward to seeing the most talented amateur players once again rise to the challenges our course offers.”

The pipes are calling

I was very pleased after first feeling a little disoriented, to hear the bagpipes being played when I was out on course. I enjoyed a spot of Highland Cathedral as I wandered down the 17th. I was reliably informed by one of the members that it’s a frequent occurrence at the Prince of Wales CC as a group of pipers often practice nearby. Apparently some members complain as they say it distracts them from their games. I suggested they should, in fact, be inspired to hear music from the country of golf’s birth. They are quite noisy mind you.

The fourth instalment of the Latin America Amateur Championship takes place this week at the Prince of Wales CC in Santiago, Chile. The winner will play in the 2018 Masters.

Today is the final practice day for the fourth Latin America Amateur Championship to be contested at the Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago, Chile. Hosted by The Masters Tournament, the R&A and the USGA, this has become the most prestigious amateur event in Latin America and it welcomes many of the finest players from South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

With the winner set to receive an invitation to play in the 2018 Masters plus exemptions for R&A and USGA events, the stakes are high as the competitors complete their final preparations.

I've travelled to Chile to watch the action and to keep you up to date with proceedings. Here below is a preview of what’s to come this week:

What’s on offer?

The prestige of this event has grown steadily since the first instalment in Buenos Aires in 2015. The players and the national federations involved are highly focused and determined to produce the best possible results. These guys, although having a great time and laughing and joking with one another and enjoying the friendly atmosphere, have their eyes set firmly on the prize.

Aside from being the best amateur player in Latin America for the year, the winner of the tournament receives: an invitation to compete in The Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.

In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into the final stages of qualifiying for The Open Championship with an opportunity to earn a place in The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

The Course Par 71, 6,864 yards

The host course for this year’s event is at the Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago. The club dates from 1925 and the course from 1930. It was designed by club member Alex MacDonald, who was a British businessman and a golf course architect. With a par of 72 and measuring 6,864-yards, it’s not overly long but with narrow fairways it demands accuracy. The bentgrass greens feature subtle contours and slopes that should test the players’ skill and nerve.

I went out for a walk around the course today to get a feel for the layout. As the players I’d spoken to had expressed – it’s in immaculate condition with the greens in particular appearing to be super smooth and slick. The ground looks fairly firm and I saw a number of drives bounding on and more than a couple of shots from the rough being landed short and releasing up to the putting surface. I think this week there will be quite an emphasis on creativity around the putting surfaces, the flop shot will not be the go to and I expect a few more links-style bump and run shots to be played – good practice for those aiming to make it to The Amateur Championship or maybe even The Open.

I’d also say, it’s quite tight with mature trees lining the fairways. Although there is space between those trees, the size of them means that straying off line will either mean a pitch back to the short stuff or a high-risk escape shot. I witnessed a couple of players attempting high tariff recoveries and both times the result was a knock on wood and then a pitch out – I think accuracy will indeed be very important this week and patience too. If a player strays, they’ll need to possess the fortitude to take their medicine and move on.

The three par-5s should all be reachable in two for the longer hitters so these could be key to scoring. The general feeling is that there are low scores to be had out there. Although Julian Perico of Peru put things in perspective when he talked about his opening round of 64 last year in Panama.

“Yes it’s fun when you play like that and many of the guys this week are capable of going low,” he said. “The winning score could be 12-under but last year we thought that too and then the winner finished on one-under. It’s different when the pressure starts to build. The logos on the board (The Masters, The R&A and The USGA) really make you think.”

Set in the heart of Santiago – a vibrant city home to some 7,000,000 people – the course is relatively compact which makes it great for spectating. Wherever you position yourself, you can see action taking place on more than one hole. But the trees mean that each of those hole is protected from the others. It’s a rather beautiful place to be out there, under the trees beside the sweeping fairways, looking up to the towering mountains. The highest are snow-capped all year and they look absolutely massive. That might be because they are. The highest – Cerro El Plomo rises to almost 5,500 metres… That’s four times higher than Ben Nevis!

Players to Watch

A number of players who have enjoyed success in the first three Latin America Amateur Championships will return this year, including the first three winners – Matias Dominguez of Chile, Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica and Tomas Gana of Chile. Who might be lifting the trophy at the end of the week and be looking forward to a trip to Augusta?

Joaquin Niemann (Chile)

The World’s Number 1 ranked Amateur will be the favourite this week and he will shoulder the expectation of the home fans. He was tied second in Panama last year and went on to qualify for the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills. He will hope to go one better this time out.

“I’ve had the advantage of being able to practice on this course for a month before the event,” he said. “I’m not feeling the pressure actually, I feel more relaxed. I’m staying at home, I have my people around me and that is great."

This will potentially be Niemann’s last outing as an amateur. If he doesn’t win the event he will turn professional immediately. If he does, he’ll stay amateur in order to play in The Masters.

“I’m excited for both possibilities,” he said.

Alejandro Tosti (Argentina)

One of the most consistent performers in this event over the first three years, Tosti was second in 2015, tied third in 2016 and tied 12th last year. A senior at Florida State, the Argentine has the complete game and he possesses explosive power.

Jorge Garcia (Venezuela)

Runner-up in 2016, Garcia is another player who looks to have the game to prevail in this event and he has the experience of three previous starts to draw upon.

Alvaro Ortiz (Mexico)

Also having played in all three events, Alvaro Ortiz (brother of PGA Tour player Carlos) has a great record in the LAAC. He was tied 3rd in 2015 and tied second last year. He has a great attitude and a level head and will likely feature again.

Previous winners

2015 – Matias Dominguez (Chile)

2016 – Paul Chaplet (Costa Rica)

2017 – Tomas Gana (Chile)

Prince of Wales Country Club

Founded in 1925, this is a fabulous, traditional sporting club with tremendous character and history. There’s real British influence here with the clubhouse walls displaying wartime posters and even a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill. There are rugby playing caricatures of old members on the wood panelled walls in the bar and, in general, you get the feeling you’ve stepped back in time to a more civilised age. But it’s clearly not a stuffy old men's club. There are plenty of families here with children enjoying swimming and games, there are teenagers playing tennis, rugby and football and everyone seems to be simply enjoying the place and the great facilities on offer.

The weather

It’s pretty spectacular – clear skies, 30 degrees C and just the occasional cool breeze. I was worried I’d be too hot, travelling from the frozen north east of Scotland but the heat is very dry so it just feels rather pleasant. I’m not sure I’d fancy joining in one of the football matches taking place on the pitches adjacent to the course, but strolling round watching the golf, it’s very nice indeed. And, it looks set to continue for the duration. A taxi driver told me yesterday that it tends to be very dry here at this time of year. It won’t rain, pretty much at all, until April when it will chuck it down. A good time to visit then!

Putting golf in perspective

Yesterday in the media centre Erik Morales of Puerto Rico spoke eloquently about how life has changed and priorities have shifted since Hurricane Maria ripped through his home country in 2017.

“Instead of golfing and keeping up the normal life, we started focusing more on what we can do for the country. We were out there trying to find donations from people and to help those who really needed it,” he said. “It puts your feet on the ground when you go into the interior of the island and see people who are really going through hard times. I can go out and play golf and shoot 65 or 95 and I will be the same at the end. I’ve learned to be grateful for more things..."

"I remember an old lady we stopped to help. She looked scared and I asked if she was ok, if she had water. She said she did but I knew she was taking it from somewhere the water was unsafe. I gave her a couple of bottles of water and she just collapsed crying. I hugged her and could just feel that desperation and energy. I have goose bumps thinking about it. I just know now there’s so much more than the material stuff. I’ve seen people getting through this with a smile. I’ve seen kids out playing, riding bikes – With no power it’s like it used to be before the internet, before iPads. So within all the bad stuff, there is also light.”

Erik has barely been able to play since Maria put paid to all golf on Puerto Rico but he has played a warm-up tournament in Argentina.

"Whether I'm making birdies or bogeys, I'm just going to enjoy it," he said philosophically.

I also met with Kevin O’Connell of the Virgin Islands who showed me a video of his house, or what was left of it, after it was destroyed by the ferocious winds.

“It’s devastation,” he said. “You won’t find a single person on the islands who hasn’t been affected by this. It’s like starting from scratch and we just have to get on with it.”

Someone else who has faced challenges in his home country in recent months and years is Ernesto Martinez of Venezuela. With the social and political troubles the county has been facing, one might think golf would take a back seat, but it’s not the case as Ernesto explained.

“Yes, things are more complicated for us in Venezuela,” he said. “But actually there is more time for golf as there is so little work. It’s difficult but we make the best of it. But to come and play here and to see a golf course prepared like this – it’s like a miracle. In Venezuela we have no money at the golf course, we don’t have equipment and we don’t have machines so maintenance is hard. We are outdated and that is a disadvantage. But, it’s just about shooting the lowest score possible isn’t it and we (the Venezuelan players) have a chance this week.”

Ernesto has been recovering from an injury sustained to his elbow but is confident he will be able to produce his best game this week. After a little pressure he explained how he sustained the injury.

“Last year, we were protesting against the government and the police tried to control us,” he said. “They came close and I was struck on the elbow. I have to be grateful as, first of all, I’m alive and secondly that I can keep on playing golf – that was a big concern.”

The stories of these players have put golf in perspective for me too. All these guys are determined to perform to the best of their abilities this week but, more importantly, to enjoy themselves. I for one, will be rooting for them.

Fergus Bisset looks forward to one of his favourite weeks of the golfing year. Tomorrow he heads from the frozen north east of Scotland to Santiago, Chile for the fourth running of the Latin America Amateur Championship.

Looking out this morning at my ice-covered car and frosted garden I half cheered, half scared myself by checking the week’s forecast for Santiago, Chile where I’ll be by Thursday morning for the fourth instalment of the 2018 LAAC  (Latin America Amateur Championship.) The outlook is a steady 33 degrees C and sunshine. That’s at least 33 degrees hotter than Aberdeenshire right now which could come as something of a shock to the system.

But armed with a cap, a pair of lightweight slacks and a vat of factor 50, I’m ready to take on the challenge. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend each edition of the LAAC since its inception in 2015 and it’s one of my very favourite weeks of the year. The tournament is brilliantly run and attended by some of the friendliest people you could meet, all of whom are passionate about golf and the good that it can do. Many of the competitors are potential future stars of the game, who have one eye on the professional ranks but, as it’s open to golfers with a handicap of 5.4 or less, smaller nations are able to send more experienced, career amateurs, adding great character and depth to the event.

The Latin America Amateur Championship was founded and is run by the R&A, The Masters Tournament and the USGA. Open to the leading players from the 29 IOC recognised countries from Central and Southern America and the Caribbean (who are members of the International Golf Federation,) the tournament was started with a view towards the development of golf through the Latin America region.

The LAAC was established following the success of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, inaugurated in 2009. That event has played a significant role in the advancement of golf in the Asia Pacific region and has already produced world-beating champions. Hideki Matsuyama was twice a winner of the event, in 2010 and 2011. Going into just its fourth year, the LAAC is already having a similar impact.

The winner of the tournament receives: an invitation to compete in The Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into the final stages of qualifiying for The Open Championship with an opportunity to earn a place in The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

With such prizes on offer, players and unions are focused on performing well in this event and golfing programmes at both grass roots and elite level are being established and developed in countries across Latin America, with one eye on this tournament and the opportunities it might provide. Many players from the LAAC have gone on to play in the American Collegiate system so a good week in this event could be life-changing.

In the first three instalments of the LAAC, the champions have been Matias Dominguez of Chile, Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica and Tomas Goya, also of Chile. Given the success of Chilean golfers in this event through the first three tournaments, it seems fitting the competition will be held in the country’s capital, Santiago this time out.

Looking at the field for this year, there are many names I know from the first three competitions. From Argentina, Alejandro Tosti, a runner-up in 2015 and a semi-finalist in the 2017 British Amateur Championship will be among the favourites, as will the likes of Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico and Venezuela’s Jorge Garcia. But, it will be Chilean player Joaquin Niemann shouldering the weight of home expectation. The Santiago resident comes into the event as the World’s Number 1 ranked amateur. He was tied for second in this event last year and will be desperately keen to make it three Chilean wins in four attempts at the LAAC.

The host course for this year’s event is at the Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago. The club dates from 1925 and the course from 1930. It was designed by club member Alex MacDonald who was a British businessman and a golf course architect. With a par of 72 and measuring 6,892-yards, it’s not overly long but with narrow fairways it demands accuracy. The bentgrass greens feature subtle contours and slopes that should test the players skill and nerve.

I don’t know an awful lot about Chile except that my mum once visited back in the early 70s. Back then, according to her accounts, the journey took about three weeks and is most effectively charted using a children’s blow-up globe and a red marker pen whilst listening to the theme tune from Indiana Jones.

It’s not that bad these days, although it is quite a long flight (about five films and four G&Ts worth.) Very much worth it though to see some of these youngsters compete – they play with a great amount of energy and flair and it’s fantastic to watch. I’ll be keeping you up to date with the progress of the tournament and with what I see around and off the course as well. With the Andes Mountains as a backdrop, Santiago looks a spectacular city and the reading I’ve done suggests it has a rich culture and history to explore and enjoy.

Spider Miller's US Team beat GB&I 19-7 with Maverick McNealy, Collin Monikawa and Doug Ghim all recording 100% records

USA Dominate GB&I To Win Walker Cup

The Walker Cup is staying Stateside after the USA rampaged GB&I at Los Angeles Country Club.

The Americans matched their record points tally of 19 back in 1993.

The sides were level after the first foursomes session at 2-2 but the US led at the halfway mark by 8-4 after a solid singles session.

The score was 11-5 by Sunday's afternoon singles which the USA won to reach the final score of 19-7.

David Boote was the only Brit to win a singles match on Sunday, beating US Amateur Champion Doc Redman.

Robert MacIntyre halved his match with Cameron Champ.

Highlights from the Sunday singles:

The US trio of Maverick McNealy, Colin Monikawa and Doug Ghim each won four points out of a possible four to set a new record.

USA had previously seen two players go 4-0 in three different Walker Cups, but never three players in the same match.

GB&I have had two players go 4-0 in the same match in 1999, when Luke Donald and Paul Casey each posted 100% records.

The USA now leads by 36-9-1 from 46 Walker Cup matches.

GB&I had won the previous match in 2015 at Royal Lytham and St Annes by 16.5-19.5.

They look to regain the Walker Cup next time in September 2019 at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

The stars of the show

Maverick McNealy - The world #2 amateur is turning professional and will likely receive some PGA Tour invites. Look out for him.

Colin Monikawa - The American plays collegiate golf at the University of California and has won four major Amateur titles. He is fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Doug Ghim - The world number four was runner-up at the US Public Links Championship and beat Jordan Spieth's record by two strokes at the CB&I Boys Championship in 2014 with a 12-under-par total of 204. He plays his collegiate golf at the University of Texas.

Jack Singh Brar - The Englishman won three out of four points, eventually losing to Masters low-amateur Stewart Hagestad. Singh Brar is #64 in the WAGR and won the Lytham Trophy this year.

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2017 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team includes the Amateur champion, the Open Silver Medallist and European Amateur champion, and the Lytham Trophy winner

2017 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team Announced

The 2017 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team has been announced for the 46th match at Los Angeles Country Club next month.

GB&I will be aiming to defend the trophy after securing a 16½-9½ victory in the 2015 match at Royal Lytham & St Annes; their biggest winning margin since the match was first played in 1922.

A 10 player team and two reserves have been named for the 2017 match, with five Englishmen featuring alongside two Scots, two Welshmen and one player from Ireland.

The GB&I team includes The Amateur champion Harry Ellis, the Silver Medal Winner at The Open and European Amateur champion Alfie Plant, the Lytham Trophy champion Jack Singh Brar and the winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy Matthew Jordan.

Related: 8 things you didn't know about Alfie Plant

Last year’s Amateur champion Scott Gregory is joined in the team by the man he defeated in the final - Robert MacIntyre.

Craig Watson, who will be captaining the GB&I team for the first time in the match, said, “We have been very impressed with the performances of many of the GB&I players so far this season and it has been a difficult decision to select only ten players.

“The Walker Cup match is one of the highlights of the golfing calendar and a tremendous opportunity for the players to shine on such a big stage.

The Americans will be determined not to lose two matches in a row but we have selected a strong team and I’m sure the players will give it their all to try to retain the trophy.”

The 2017 GB&I Walker Cup Team:

David Boote, 23, Walton Heath, Wales

Jack Davidson, 20, Llanwern, Wales

Harry Ellis, 21, Meon Valley, England

Scott Gregory, 22, Corhampton, England

Matthew Jordan, 21, Royal Liverpool, England

Paul McBride, 21, The Island, Ireland

Robert MacIntyre, 21, Glencruitten, Scotland

Alfie Plant, 25, Sundridge Park, England

Jack Singh Brar, 20, Remedy Oak, England

Connor Syme, 22, Drumoig, Scotland

Reserves:

1st Conor O’Rourke, 26, Naas, Ireland

2nd Craig Howie, 22, Peebles, Scotland

Captain:

Craig Watson, 51, East Renfrewshire, Scotland

2017 GB&I Walker Cup Team - Player bios:

David Boote

Boote played in last year’s GB&I St Andrews Trophy team and achieved top ten finishes at both the St Andrews Links Trophy and the Brabazon Trophy this season. The Stanford graduate lost out in a seven-man play-off at the US Open sectional qualifying event at Walton Heath and then in a play-off in Final Qualifying for The Open at Royal Cinque Ports.

Jack Davidson

Davidson won the Welsh Amateur Championship and has notched up two wins on Spanish soil this season, capturing the Spanish Amateur Championship and the individual event at the European Nations Cup. He achieved third place finishes at the South American Amateur Championships in Buenos Aires and the Welsh Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship.

Harry Ellis

Ellis, who is studying at Florida State University, bounced back from four holes down with five to play to win The Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s. He was the youngest ever winner of the English Amateur Championship in 2012 at the age of 16 and has gone on to represent England at every level.

Scott Gregory

The 2016 Amateur champion is the highest-ranked GB&I player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking^TM at fifth and played in both the Masters Tournament and the US Open. He represented England in the European Team Championship, winning two of his matches and halving the other.

Matthew Jordan

Jordan won this year’s St Andrews Links Trophy, was runner-up at the Scottish Stroke Play Championship, secured top five finishes at the Irish Open Amateur Championship and the Brabazon Trophy and finished sixth in the European Amateur Championship.

Paul McBride

McBride, who is studying at Wake Forest University, was joint runner-up in the individual standings in the European Team Championship and reached the quarter finals of The Amateur Championship. He played all four rounds in last month’s Porsche European Open on the European Tour, finishing on two-under-par.

Robert MacIntyre

The left-handed MacIntyre was runner-up in the 2016 Amateur Championship and was part of the Scotland team which retained last year’s European Team Championship title. This season he finished tied fourth at the European Amateur Championship at Walton Heath and reached the round of 32 at the US Amateur Championship.

Alfie Plant

Plant won the European Amateur Championship to secure his place in The Open at Royal Birkdale where he went on to win the Silver Medal as the leading amateur. He also finished as joint runner-up in the individual standings at the European Team Championship.

Jack Singh Brar

Singh Brar won the Lytham Trophy and finished joint runner-up at the Brabazon Trophy. He also secured a top ten finish at the European Amateur Championship and represented England against Spain.

Connor Syme

The 2016 Australian Amateur Champion was part of the winning Scotland team in the European Team Championship. This season he qualified to play in The Open at Royal Birkdale and reached the quarter final of the US Amateur Championship.

Previous Walker Cup Results:

2015 Royal Lytham & St Annes, GB&I 16 ½ USA 9 ½

2013 The National Golf Links of America, USA 17 GB&I 9

2011 Royal Aberdeen, GB&I 14 USA 12

The 2017 Walker Cup takes place at Los Angeles Country Club from Saturday 9th - Sunday 10 September.

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It was entirely appropriate that while lifting the magnificent Michael Lunt Trophy in triumph Jake Burnage should have the Walker Cup very much on his mind.

Brilliant Burnage Lifts The Michael Lunt Trophy

Jake Burnage, 22, from deepest North Devon, had earmarked victory in the South of England Open Amateur Championship at Walton Heath as the first of two objectives designed to convince Great Britain & Ireland selectors to pick him for the match against the United States in Los Angeles this Autumn.

First job done, Burnage will now focus on a second successful performance in the English Amateur Championship at The Berkshire next week.

“My aim is to knock down the door with a sledgehammer this fortnight,” the Saunton GC member said in reference to possible selection.

The aforementioned Lunt, one of the finest British amateurs of his generation, became a Walker Cup stalwart with his four appearances between 1959 and 1965.

Walton Heath Golf Club, which he captained in 2005, chose to celebrate his career by commissioning a trophy in his name.

Burnage put his own name on the piece of silverware with four sub-par rounds - two each on the Old and New courses - to secure his first 72-hole victory. A total of 11 under par 277 represented fine scoring given the strength of the wind, the severity of the rain squalls and the clawing nature of the purple heather.

Moreover, in keeping with the tradition of the championship, the two courses had been stretched to their maximum lengths with tees located further back than even those facing hardened professionals in the annual US Open qualifying event.

Burnage had shared the half-way lead with Jack Yule, another 22-year-old though from the opposite side of the country in Norfolk. Paired together and last out for both the third and fourth rounds, they duelled all day while the chasing pack kept their distance.

Once he took the lead in the opening stages of the third round, Burnage was never headed. A five stroke advantage by the 48th hole had been reduced to just one at lunch. And when Burnage three putted the fourth hole of the final round the principle contenders were level.

Only briefly, however. The fifth saw Yule, in turn, three putt on slick greens that were running at 11.0 on the stimpmeter, even faster down wind. Burnage had regained a lead he was never again to lose.

Related: Walton Heath Old Course review

That the winning margin ended up being just a single stroke was down to an unexpected dramatic conclusion.

Burnage lead by three on the final tee only to drive his ball into thick heather on top of a bunker. All he could do was accept his medicine and hack back onto the fairway.

With Yule holing for a birdie three Burnage needed to two putt from 25ft for victory. Anxious parents, Clive and Louise, who had left their North Devon home at 5am that morning, could scarcely watch as their son slid his first putt a tantalising four feet past.

The tension of the moment seemed to escape Burnage.

“I really went for the par putt because I knew that would reduce my handicap to plus 5,” he said. “The return putt did not bother me at all.”

Yule saw the situation somewhat differently.

“Jake deserved victory more,” Yule suggested. “He deserved it more if only for his final putt. That was a very good putt to win a championship. My birdie had put the pressure on him.”

Related: Walton Heath New Course review

In truth, Burnage had looked the more accomplished player throughout the final round. His iron play was particularly impressive, nothing more so than the purest and classiest of 3-irons drilled into the wind to less than a yard from the flag at the 222 yard par three 11th.

Burnage's development has followed the steepest of curves. He did not take up golf until the age of 16, having in his own words 'done nothing but kick a ball' since he could walk. As well as he progressed under the tutelage of first Albert McKenzie then his wife Tiffany, 2017 has brought the breakthrough.

Related: Golf Monthly UK&I  Top 100 Courses

Victory in the Hampshire Hog by five strokes with stunning rounds of 67 and 66 might have been the highlight but there were also a third place in the Lytham Trophy and a runner up spot in the Brabazon Trophy among eight top 10 finishes.

That sledgehammer has been pounding on the selectorial door. Yet, Burnage, third and fourth in this event in the past two years, has not yet played for the full England international team and that might prove a stumbling block with those who chose the Walker Cup side.

Third place at Walton Health with a six under par total of 282 went to 23-year-old Italian Philip Geerts, truly a man of the world. Geerts was born in Kenya to a Belgian father and Italian mother and spent most of his childhood in South Africa where he now spends five months of the year. He has played for Italy since he was 15.

Like so many, winner and runner up included, he spoke in the highest possible terms of the quality of Walton Heath. “The course is amazing,” he said.

“I love it,” Burnage commented.

“It is embarrassingly good,” Yule said.

Max Martin, from the dark chocolate paradise of Bourneville, near Birmingham, who finished fourth, celebrated his 20th birthday last Sunday. “A round at Walton Heath was the best possible present,” he said.

And you did not even need to survive the half way cut to leave the glorious Surrey track in buoyant mood. Robbert Van Helden failed to make the top 40 qualifiers despite achieving that rarest of golfing scores, an albatross two at the par 5 16th.

A drive and 2-iron did the trick. “We could not find the ball at first,” Van Helden told Members. “It seemed to disappear from sight. Eventually one of my playing partners looked in the hole and there it was.”

The best clubhouse memories recalled a previous two at that hole. Steve Jones, the 1996 US Open champion, holed his second shot at the 16th in the Senior Open in 2011 when the hole was a par four.

From March, the Golfing Union of Ireland's coveted green shirts will be the only team colours to carry the Under Armour logo on the international stage

Under Armour and Golfing Union of Ireland Announce Partnership

The Golfing Union of Ireland today confirmed an exclusive, technical partnership with Under Armour.

From March, the GUI's coveted green shirts will be the only team colours to carry the Under Armour logo on the international stage.

Playing at home and abroad this season, Ireland's elite will wear Under Armour from head-to-toe. These include golf's first full-stretch GORE-TEX™ Paclite Rainwear and Under Armour's latest footwear release, the Spieth One.

Related: Under Armour Spieth One Shoes revealed

In 2016, the GUI toasted a momentous year with their first ever podium finish at the World Amateur Team Championships. Ireland captured bronze in Mexico having tied for third, just one shot away from taking silver.

Ireland also completed a rare hat-trick at the Home Internationals in August when they beat Wales, England and Scotland to win their third successive title.

Related: Ballyliffin Glashedy Course Review

Pat Finn, Chief Executive Officer of the GUI said: "We're truly excited to welcome Under Armour as a new partner of the Golfing Union of Ireland. The impact that Under Armour has made in the golfing marketplace in a very short space of time is testament to the supreme quality of the product. The GUI sends more than 30 squads and teams to compete overseas annually. We look forward to working with Under Armour to ensure that our players are optimally prepared for success when representing Ireland."

Kevin Ross, General Manager, Global Golf, Under Armour said, "We are very proud to become a leading partner of the GUI. Ireland has a rich history of golf talent and we share the GUI's excitement at the current crop of players making their moves towards the professional ranks.

Related: 10 best golf courses in Ireland

"Through our shared vision, we can make a positive impact on the athletes' development by empowering them with the most innovative performance apparel, footwear and accessories in golf."

Under Armour is widely recognised in golf through its market leading performance apparel and association with two-time major champion Jordan Spieth.

The official reveal of the new apparel, footwear and equipment will take place on 13th March 2017.

Related: Carton House Stay and Play

COMPETITION

Your chance to attend a GUI National Panel Coaching Session and play golf with Ireland's leading amateurs.

Prize – four winners selected at random on Tuesday 21st February

Attend the GUI National Golf Academy on Monday 13th March at 9am and receive your own Under Armour clothing, including rainwear and footwear.

You will then attend a GUI National Panel Coaching Session with GUI National Coach Neil Manchip and members of the National Panel. Take part fully in the session and learn from our leading players.

At 12.30pm lunch will be provided at Carton House Golf Club and after this there is an 11 hole Am/Am on the O'Meara course at Carton.

To enter the competition all you need to do is email media@gui.ie with the following details:

Name:

Club:

Handicap:

T-Shirt Size:

Trouser Size:

Golf Shoe Size:

Four winners will be chosen. Entries close on Monday 20th February at 11.59pm. Winners must be available to attend in person on Monday 13th March. No substitutes allowed. Winners responsible for own travel/accommodation expenses. Winners consent to being photographed and interviewed about their experience for GUI and Under Armour use. Full terms on request to media@gui.ie

Chile’s Toto Gana came through a three-man playoff featuring his countryman and close friend Joaquin Niemann and Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz to win the third Latin America Amateur Championship in Panama and earn an invitation to this April’s U.S. Masters.

Toto Gana, Joaquin Niemann and Alvaro Ortiz finished 72-holes tied on one-under-par at Club de Golf de Panama meaning a sudden-death playoff was required to settle the third Latin America Amateur Championship.

On the first extra hole, the 18th at Club de Golf de Panama, Gana pulled his drive into the trees, Ortiz’s ball found a divot on the fairway and Niemann’s outran the fairway coming to rest just outside of a water hazard. All three walked off with par though and the playoff moved onto the 10th.

Niemann pulled his approach shot on 10 into a plugged lie in the greenside bunker, Ortiz flew his ball onto the green, long and right of the flag then Gana fired in a wedge shot from 100 yards to within a few feet of the pin. Neither Niemann nor Ortiz were able to hole out and that left Gana with a short putt for the title. He calmly rolled it home to become the third LAAC champion, the second from Chile following Matias Dominguez’s victory in 2015. With the win Gana has earned a place in this year’s U.S. Masters.

"This is a new experience for me, I've never felt like this before and I never want it to end," he said. "I have to keep doing what I'm doing and get ready for Augusta. I can't quite believe it."

As winner of the tournament Gana receives, in addition to an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. In addition, he, Ortiz and Niemann receive exemptions into Open Qualifying Series – Final Qualifying with an opportunity to earn a place in The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

Gana and Ortiz began the final round at Club de Golf de Panama tied for the lead, one ahead of Gana’s countryman and friend Joaquin Niemann. The three played together in the final group during regulation play and, by the start of the final nine holes, they were locked on one-under-par.

After flying the 14th green by some 40 yards, Alvaro Ortiz was unable to get up-and-down and made a bogey. He seemingly bounced back at the driveable 15th, playing a superb shot to the heart of the green. He looked sure to make a birdie, but he lipped out from short range. He would later rue that miss but he remained positive overall after the round.

"I'm happy with my game. I gave myself a chance and I'm excited for the future," he said. "I have learned a lot from this tournament and I learned from my fellow competitors. It's hard to explain how much I enjoyed it out there. Yes, I would have like to have won but I'm just so happy with how the round went."

Gana was able to pick up a shot at the 15th after a superb bunker shot, but Niemann stumbled to a disappointing bogey. That left Gana two shots clear with three holes to play.

The young Chilean looked visibly nervous on the 16th fairway as he played a very poor iron shot into the right hand bunker. But he composed himself to play a good splash shot and hole a great putt to save par. Niemann had a good chance to close the gap on the 16th but he missed from eight feet.

Niemann then played a great iron shot on the 17th hole to within just a few feet of the cup. Alvaro Ortiz played to the heart of the green and holed a difficult putt from 20 feet to get back to one-under-par. Niemann followed Ortiz in leaving Gana to try and hole out for his par. He did so, his third clutch putt in as many holes, to take a one-stroke lead to the 18th tee.

On the 72nd, Gana’s drive found sand while Niemann and Ortiz fired onto the fairway. Gana’s approach went through the green and he was unable to get up-and-down to save par. Both other men managed it and that meant all three finished on one-under. Niemann had a birdie putt on the final hole that would have given him the victory but it narrowly missed. The youngster was delighted for his friend Toto.

"He has worked so hard and I am so happy for him," he said. "Now I look forward to next year and being able to get my revenge!"

Alvaro E. Ortiz, the oldest player to make the cut at the age of 48, posted a fine final round of 70. The Costa Rican had led through 36 holes and he finished the tournament at level par in a tie for fourth place, just one off the playoff.

At the other end of the player age spectrum, youngest entrant Julian Perico of Peru shared that tie for fourth with Ortiz. Perico led after the first round and pushed hard through the final round to also post a four-round score of level par. The 17-year-old fired a LAAC record 64 in the opening round and he closed with an excellent 69.

Tomas “Toto” Gana comes from the Chilean capital Santiago – host city for next year’s Latin America Amateur Championship. The fourth instalment of the tournament will be held at Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago, Chile from the 18th to 21st of January 2018.

Latin America Amateur Championship – Final Leaderboard

1    Toto Gana (Chi)            279 T2    Joaquin Niemann (Chi)        279 T2    Alvaro Ortiz (Mex)        279 T4    Julian Perico (Per)        280 T4    Alvaro E. Ortiz (CRC)        280 T6    Jose Luis Montano (Bol)    283 T6    Raul Pereda (Mex)        283 T8    Miguel Ordonez (Pan)        284 T8    Nicolas Echavarria (Col)    284 T8    Andres Gallegos (Arg)        284

After a thrilling third day at Club de Golf de Panama, the Latin America Amateur Championship is still very much up for grabs with nine players within four shots of the lead held by Mexico’s Alvaro Ortiz and Toto Gana of Chile.

Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico made a big move in the LAAC on Saturday at Club de Golf de Panama. The 21-year-old carded a fine 67 to tie for the 54-hole lead with Toto Gana of Chile on two-under-par. Another Chilean Joaquin Niemann is in third place on one-under while 36-hole leader Alvaro E. Ortiz is tied for fourth with Nicolas Echavarria of Colombia.

Alvaro Ortiz made his move with a birdie and an eagle in his first four holes. He dropped a shot at the 7th but made further gains at the 13th and 14th holes. He bogeyed the short 17th but finished the day at two-under-par and was tied for the lead at the close of play.

The junior at the University of Arkansas was tied for third in the first edition of the LAAC in 2015 and was tied for the lead after round one last year before being disqualified after round two, signing for an incorrect score. Ortiz is confident he can go on to claim victory this time round and secure an invitation to the U.S. Masters.

“I’m going to be aggressive tomorrow as I feel I’m playing really well,” he said. “I’ve been in this position before (in Buenos Aires two years ago) and I think that will give me a great advantage.”

Alvaro’s older brother Carlos Ortiz is a PGA Tour player and the younger Mexican is keen to get to Augusta before his sibling.

“That would be amazing,” he said. “I’m always trying to catch up to him and have only ever beaten him a couple of times so to get to Augusta before him would be great.”

The winner of the tournament receives, in addition to an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into Open Qualifying Series – Final Qualifying with an opportunity to earn a place in The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

Chile’s Toto Gana is tied for the lead on two-under-par after carding a 69 on Saturday.

“I played well, keeping the ball on the fairway which was key,” he said. “I will keep the same strategy for tomorrow, it has worked so far and I’m looking forward to playing with my friend Joaquin Niemann in round four.”

Gana’s fellow Chilean Joaquin Niemann equalled the best score of the day with a 67 to move into solo third spot. Niemann is the top-ranked player in the field this week (5th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking) and he’s steadily improving with rounds of 72, 70 and 67. He is likely to be a threat tomorrow. Niemann was tied third in this event in the Dominican Republic last year.

"I think my game is stronger than last year," he said. "You have to believe you have improved and I feel that I have that belief just now."

36-hole leader Alvaro E. Ortiz of Costa Rica posted a decent score of 73 to remain in contention – just two shots back of the leading duo. The 48-year-old started scrappily but kept his score together with some excellent putting. A superb shot to the par-5 4th resulted in a birdie and that gave him the lead on his own once again. But he dropped shots around the turn. His back nine featured two birdies and four bogeys, but he finished with three pars to keep his total score on level par.

Home player Miguel Ordonez received great support through his round of 68 and he sits in a tie for sixth place on one-over-par, just three shots off the pace. First-round leader Julian Perico of Peru is also in that tie for sixth.

Latin America Amateur Championship – Round three scores

T1    Alvaro Ortiz (Mex)        208 T1    Toto Gana (Chi)            208 3    Joaquin Niemann (Chi)        209 T4    Nicolas Echavarria (Col)    210 T4    Alvaro E. Ortiz (CRC)        210 T6    Miguel Ordonez (Pan)        211 T6    Julian Perico (Per)        211 T8    Alejandro Villavicencio (Arg)    212 T8    Eithel McGowen (Per)        212

Video - How to rake a bunker properly:

48-year-old Alvaro E. Ortiz of Costa Rica leads the third Latin America Amateur Championship at Club de Golf de Panama after two rounds. He is one ahead of his nearest challengers.

In tougher conditions at Club de Golf de Panama, 48-year-old Alvaro E. Ortiz fired a superb morning round of 66 to post a two-round total of three-under-par in the third Latin America Amateur Championship. The 25-time Costa Rican amateur champion carded five birdies and just one bogey as he climbed to the top of the leaderboard . Ortiz is 31-years older than round one leader Julian Perico and he first played this course 35 years ago. He leads Alejandro Villavicencio of Guatemala and Herik Machado of Brazil by a stroke.

“I played to my strengths today,” he said. “I’m not the longest hitter but I know this course and I know how to manage my way around it. I played to the right spots and it paid off.”

Ortiz, who is an estate agent when not playing golf, is experienced enough to stay philosophical with two rounds to play at Club de Golf de Panama. He’s not yet dreaming of Augusta. The winner of this tournament secures an invitation to play in The Masters.

“I might have grey hair now, I might get a little stiff some times, but being on the leaderboard is enough right now,” he said. “There is certainly a lot of work to do to stay there for Sunday.”

Following Paul Chaplet’s victory in this event last year, Ortiz is looking to make it back-to-back Masters invitations for players from Costa Rica.

The winner of the tournament receives, in addition to an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into Open Qualifying Series – Final Qualifying with an opportunity to earn a place in The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

Close range putting drills video:

Herik Machado of Brazil was another player to post a good morning score. He fired a three-under-par 67 to finish two rounds two-under the card. The 19-year-old from Rio Grande Del Sur started playing golf via a funded scheme in his home country called “New Talents.” He is the sixth of seven children and his first taste of golf was imitating a swing with a sweeping broom at home.

“My cousin was a caddy and she took me to play first of all,” he said. “When I started I couldn’t have believed I would get where I am today, but here I am.”

Another veteran, Alejandro Villavicencio is in contention at two-under. The 37-year-old from Guatemala followed his excellent first round of 65 with a steady 73.

"I've played in many tournaments in the past, but nothing compares to this," he said. "The interviews, the press conferences, it's amazing really."

First round leader Julian Perico struggled to follow up his record-breaking first round 64. He carded a 75 to finish at one-under for 36 holes. Although a disappointing day, he is very much still in contention, just two back.

The two round cut fell at nine-over-par, with the top 49 and ties making it through to the weekend.

17-year-old Julian Perico of Peru leads the third Latin America Amateur Championship at Club de Golf de Panama after a first round 64. He is one ahead of nearest challenger Alejandro Villavicencio of Guatemala.

Julian Perico of Peru fired a superb 64 that included eight birdies to take the first round lead in the Latin America Amateur Championship. The 17-year-old is the youngest player in the field this week and he is the first to shoot a 64 in the tournament’s short history. Perico is one ahead of Alejandro Villavicencio of Guatemala at Club de Golf de Panama who, at aged 37, is 20 years Perico’s senior.

Perico raced to the turn (playing the back nine at Club de Golf de Panama) in just 29 strokes, also a LAAC record. He stumbled with a double bogey on the 2nd hole (his 11th) but recovered well with back-to-back birdies to move back to six-under-par. He made par at each of the remaining holes to post a 64. It was the first time in his life he had scored better than five-under-par; he hadn’t even achieved that feat in practice.

“I’m quite amazed by it to be honest,” he said. “I was hitting the ball pretty badly on the range believe it or not, and I blocked my opening tee shot. But I then played a low stinger from the trees, made a birdie and it all went from there.”

Perico started playing golf when he was three and, since the age of 14, has been attending Bishops Gate Junior Golf Academy in Florida. Despite being a confident young player, Perico is not getting ahead of himself when it comes to talk of the U.S. Masters – the winner of this event receives an invitation to Augusta this April.

“Yes, well obviously it’s an amazing prize. For a golfer, it’s the best prize in the world,” he said. “But I still have three days to play and, I hope, another five years playing in this tournament, so I will try to stay in the present.”

How to repair a pitch mark correctly video:

The winner of the tournament receives, in addition to an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into Open Qualifying Series – Final Qualifying with an opportunity to earn a place in The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

Although there are a number of youngsters in contention, with the youngest player Perico in the lead, it was also a good day for more experienced competitors. 37-year-old Alejandro Villavicencio, a former professional from Guatamala fired a fine opening 65 to end the day just one off the lead. A restaurant owner with a World Amateur Golf Ranking of 2736, Villavicencio won the 2005 Mayan Open as a professional and, the following year, he reached final stage qualifying for the European Tour. He regained his amateur status in 2010.

Home player Miguel Ordonez also enjoyed a good start to the tournament. The 33-year-old from Panama City carded a 67 to finish day one three off the lead. He won the Central American Championship back in 2001 and is playing in this event for a third time.

Defending champion Paul Chaplet carded an opening round of 71 and sits alongside other pre-tournament favourites Jorge Garcia of Venezuela and Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico – the latter is brother of PGA Tour professional Carlos Ortiz.

2015 winner Matias Dominguez opened with a solid round of 69. He bounced back from three dropped shots on the front nine with a back nine of 33.

Round 1 – Top-10 scores

1    Julian Perico (Per)                64 2    Alejandro Villavicencio (Gua)        65 T3    Miguel Ordonez (Pan)            67 T3    Jose Luis Montano (Bol)            67 T3    Toto Gana (Chi)                67 T3    Nicolas Echavarria (Col)            67 T7    Gaston Bertinotti (Arg)            68 T7    Santiago Gomez (Col)            68 T7    Jeronimo Esteve (PRC)            68 T7    Matias Lezcano (Arg)            68

The third instalment of the Latin America Amateur Championship takes place this week at the Club de Golf de Panamá in Panama City. The winner will play in the 2017 Masters.

Final practice concludes today at Club de Golf de Panamá for the third Latin America Amateur Championship. Hosted by The Masters Tournament, the R&A and the USGA, this has become the most prestigious amateur event in Latin America and it welcomes many of the finest players from South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

With the winner set to receive an invitation to play in the 2017 Masters plus exemptions for R&A and USGA events, the stakes are high as the competitors complete their final preparations.

Golf Monthly will be here throughout the tournament to keep you up to date with proceedings and here we give a preview of what’s to come this week:

The Course Par 70, 7,142 yards

Designed by Jay Riviere and Charles Schaeffer, the course at Club de Golf de Panamá opened in 1977. A traditional layout, it’s set over undulating terrain with firm, rolling fairways framed by an eclectic selection of mature trees. There’s plenty of run out there and a ball travelling off line could find trouble, either under the tree canopies or in one of the many intimidating water hazards that lurk ominously. The greens appear fairly fast but relatively receptive to a well-struck shot. With a par of 70 against a yardage of over 7,100 yards, this should be a week for the powerful hitters and solid ball-strikers.

Ball striking drill:

The course has, since 2004, been the venue for the Web.com Tour’s Panama Claro Championship. It’s proved itself to be a testing track with 15-under-par the lowest 72-hole total recorded.

5 Players to Watch

A number of players who have enjoyed success in the first two Latin America Amateur Championships will return this year, including the first two winners – Matias Dominguez of Chile and Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica. Who might be lifting the trophy at the end of the week and be looking forward to a trip to Augusta?

Joaquin Niemann (Chile)

The 18-year-old is the top ranked player in the field. He’s currently 5th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He was tied 3rd in this event last year, finishing just two behind the winner Paul Chaplet. He won six events through 2016 including a defence of the World Junior Championship. He reached the last 16 of the U.S. Amateur and has committed to play for the University of South Florida from this autumn onwards.

Alejandro Tosti (Argentina)

He’s the only player to have two top-three finishes in the first two instalments of the LAAC. He clearly has what it takes to win this event and he would dearly love to be champion. He’s in his junior year at the University of Florida and he won on his last Collegiate start at Isleworth where he posted a second round 65. A powerful and talented player, he has a great chance on this layout.

Jorge Garcia (Venezuela)

He was runner-up last year and finished in the top-10 in 2015. He’s ranked 38th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and is a sophomore at the University of Florida. He was tied 7th in the individual section of last September’s World Amateur Team Championship.

Gaston Bertinotti (Argentina)

The 21-year-old is an exciting player with the capacity to shoot low scores. He was the leader of the 2016 LAAC through 54-holes but he struggled in the final round and finished in a tie for sixth. He’s in his senior year at Campbell University in North Carolina.

Nicolas Echavvaria (Colombia)

He led by three after two rounds last year only to finish with a pair of 77s to drop back into 12th place. But, he clearly has the game to challenge for the title. He won the 2014 Mexican Amateur Championship by a staggering 12 shots. He intends to turn professional later this year and would love to end his amateur career with a flourish.

The prizes

As well as the prestige of being the best amateur in Latin America for the year, the winner of the tournament also receives: an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into Open Qualifying Series – Final Qualifying with an opportunity to earn a place in The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

Previous winners

2015 – Matias Dominguez (Chile) 2016 – Paul Chaplet (Costa Rica)

Club de Golf de Panamá

The Club de Golf de Panamá was founded in 1922 and was proud host to the Panama Open Championship through the 1950s, an event which boasts an impressive list of winners including, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Roberto de Vicenzo. The club moved to its present site in 1977. Since 2004 the Web.com Tour’s Panama Claro Championship has been hosted here.

“We are honoured to host the third Latin America Amateur Championship,” said Club de Golf de Panamá president Gilberto Arosemena. “Club de Golf de Panamá has a long history of welcoming golfers from throughout our region and around the world.”

The weather

By British standards, it’s hot! Averaging around 30 degrees C with just a light wind. There’s a threat of rain every day but it shouldn’t come to much. With luck, the tournament will run smoothly without any delays.

This week sees the third running of the Latin America Amateur Championship at the Club de Golf de Panama in Panama City. Fergus Bisset is making the journey across the Atlantic to watch the action.

I’m buzzing this morning as this is one of my favourite golfing weeks of the year: The Latin America Amateur Championship. In 2015 I travelled to Buenos Aires to cover the inaugural LAAC and, last year, I was in the Dominican Republic to see the second instalment. This week I’m headed for Panama to attend, and report on, the third running of the tournament. I’m expecting to see some excellent and exciting golf.

It’s a superb event founded and run by the R&A, The Masters Tournament and the USGA. Open to the leading players from the 29 IOC recognised countries from Central and Southern America and the Caribbean (who are members of the International Golf Federation,) the tournament was started with a view towards the development of golf through the Latin America region.

The standard is high and the competitors, mostly youngsters, play with a flair and passion that’s compelling to watch. There tends to be a lot of birdies out there, and the occasional disaster to boot: it's edge of the seat stuff.

The LAAC was established following the success of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, inaugurated in 2009. That event has played a significant role in the advancement of golf in the Asia Pacific region and has already produced world-beating champions. Hideki Matsuyama was twice a winner of the event, in 2010 and 2011. Going into just its third year, the LAAC is already having a similar impact.

The winner of the tournament receives: an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament; an exemption into The Amateur Championship, an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. In addition, the champion and runner(s)-up receive exemptions into Open Qualifying Series – Final Qualifying with an opportunity to earn a place in The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, plus an exemption into final stage qualifying for the U.S. Open with an opportunity to earn a place in the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

With such prizes on offer, players and unions are focused on performing well in this event and golfing programmes at both grass roots and elite level are being established and developed in countries across Latin America, with one eye on this tournament and the opportunities it might provide. Many U.S. Colleges now send scouts to the LAAC to try and find fresh talent to recruit, so a good performance this week could be life-changing.

Rules of golf video, ball unplayable in a bunker:

In the first two instalments of the LAAC the champions have been Matias Dominguez of Chile and Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica. The latter, who won last year in the Dominican Republic was just 16-years-old when he lifted the trophy and went on to play at Augusta – quite an experience.

Both Dominguez and Chaplet will be in the field this week and I recognise a number of the names on the start list from previous years. A lot of youngsters who are considering turning pro will put off that move just so they can play in this tournament and potentially secure a start in The Masters.

I’m looking forward to visiting Panama. I don’t know much about the place apart from the fact that it has quite an impressive canal and has a hat named after it. I’m staying in Panama City so will enjoy exploring the country’s capital. From what I’ve read, there’s some fabulous architecture and a number of interesting galleries and museums to visit. I’m going for the golf predominantly, but I’ll keep you updated with what I see both on and off the course.

I’ve half-heartedly started packing – well moving stuff around with a view to eventually putting it in a bag. Judging by the forecast it looks like being seriously hot (30 degs) and, possibly, a touch thundery. Perhaps I should take some of the woollen sweaters out of the “possible” pile and look out my Panama hat.

A look at seven significant amateur events taking place during 2017, in this country and on the other side of the pond. Each provides a great opportunity for spectators to see golf played at the highest level.

The standard of amateur golf has risen significantly over recent years, and the margin between those at the top of the unpaid ranks and those who make a living from the game is increasingly fine. Many of those who succeed at amateur level move seamlessly into professional fields.

Amateur golf provides the avid golf spectator with a great chance to see exceptional golf being played in more relaxed circumstances. Smaller galleries and fewer spectating restrictions mean it’s possible to get up close to the competitors and maybe just see a future world beater in action. In order of their hosting in 2017, here are seven amateur events worth attending in 2017.

Latin America Amateur Championship

Founded by The R&A, The Masters and The USGA, the LAAC was inaugurated with a view to developing the game in Central and South America and the Caribbean. It was first held in 2015 in Buenos Aires and will take place in Panama in Jan 2017. The event provides a great opportunity to see supremely talented golfers playing with a natural and exciting flair. Many U.S. College scouts have the event marked firmly in their diary as they look to find possible star players for their teams. The winner of the tournament gains an invitation to the U.S. Masters and all the exposure for him, and his country, that goes along with that. In addition, he earns an exemption into The Amateur Championship and to any USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible (including the US Amateur.)

Venue: Club de Golf de Panama, Panama City Dates: 12-15 January Last year’s winner: Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica Ticket info: Entry is free

The Lytham Trophy

As the first significant event on the domestic amateur golf calendar, the Lytham Trophy attracts the attention of top players and selectors alike. The tournament affords spectators a chance to see, up close and with a clear view, some early-season golf of the very highest standard. Played over one of our finest and toughest links, the quality of shot-making on display is always impressive. In recent years, truly international fields have assembled and winners have included Dan Huizing of the Netherlands, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa and Marcus Kinhult of Sweden.

Venue: Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Dates: 5-7 May Last year’s winner: Alfie Plant of Sundridge Park GC (+4) Ticket info: Entry is free and spectators, if suitably dressed, are allowed into the clubhouse.

The Amateur Championship

The most prestigious individual prize in amateur golf has been won by many of the game’s most famous players. First contested way back in 1885, past champions include John Ball, Harold Hilton, Bobby Jones, Michael Bonallack, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia. To begin with, 288 of the world’s leading amateur players will complete two rounds of strokeplay over the grand old links of Royal St George’s and Princes. The top 64 will then go on to contest the matchplay stage of the competition at Royal St George’s. This will be the 14th time the Kent club has hosted the event.

Venue: Royal St George’s and Princes Dates: 13-18 June Last year’s winner: Scott Gregory from Hampshire (beat Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre by 2&1) Ticket info: Entry is free

Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship

This historic event was first contested in 1893 and has been won by some great and famous players over the years. Cecil Leitch was four times a winner as was Joyce Wethered. Babe Zaharias and Louise Suggs of the USA were champions in 1947 and 1948 and, more recently, winners have included Kelli Kuehne, Rebecca Hudson, Anna Nordqvist and Azahara Munoz. Last year, Julia Engstrom of Sweden won the final at Dundonald Links on the 19th hole.

Venue: Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club, Wales Dates: 13-17 June Last year’s winner: Julia Engstrom (Swe) Ticket info: Entry is free

U.S. Amateur Championship

Second only to The Amateur Championship in the pecking order of individual amateur prizes, the U.S. Amateur will be held in 2017 at Riviera Country Club at Pacific Palisadses in California. The starting field will be 312 players, whittled down over strokeplay to 64 who go on to contest the matchplay stages. The event was first played in 1895 and the list of past champions makes for impressive reading. Walter Travis, Jerome Travers, Francis Ouimet, Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Mark O’Meara and Phil Mickelson have all been winners. Tiger Woods won three in a row from 1994 and, more recently, Brits Richie Ramsay and Matt Fitzpatrick have prevailed.

Venue: Riviera Country Club, California Dates: 14-20 August Last year’s winner: Curtis Luck of Australia Ticket info: Info will be available at usga.org

The Boys Amateur Championship

This event provides a great chance to see some of the game’s future stars in action. As with all elite amateur events these days, the standard is extremely high and there’s an opportunity to watch some brilliant golf being played up close. The competition begins with 252 competitors playing two-rounds of strokeplay over the links at The Nairn Golf Club and Nairn Dunbar. The top 64 will then contest the matchplay stages to find an eventual winner at The Nairn. This will be the 91st running of the event. Past winners include David Howell and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Venue: The Nairn Golf Club and Nairn Dunbar Dates: 15-20 August Last year’s winner: Falko Hanisch of Germany (beat Alejandro Aguilera of Spain on 37th) Ticket info: Entry is free

Walker Cup

The biennial match between amateur golfers from the USA and Great Britain and Ireland will be held at the Los Angeles Country Club in California. This will be the 46th running of the contest that first took place at the National Golf Links of America in 1922. The USA leads the series by 35 matches to 9 with one halved game, but in recent years the results have been far more even than that. Of the 14 matches since 1989, the USA has won 7 and so have GB&I. Last time out at Royal Lytham, GB&I won with something to spare by 16.5 to 9.5.

Venue: The Los Angeles Country Club, Los Angeles Dates: 8-10 September Last winner: GB&I Ticket info: Tickets available through usga.org – prices start at $40