Justin Hastings of the Cayman Islands fired a closing round of level par 72 to win the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) at Pilar Golf Club by a single shot from Peru’s Patrick Sparks. With the win, Hastings has earned a place in the field for the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush as well as an invitation to the Masters Tournament in April and this year’s US Open at Oakmont Country Club.
With inclement weather forecast for Sunday, the organisers moved the final round to Saturday afternoon. They were able to get 36 holes completed on the third day of play and decide the tournament. It was nearly dark by the time Hastings tapped in his winning par putt, but the event was finished successfully.
Hastings shot a third round 64 to take a four-shot lead into the final round but the nerves started to show through the closing 18. It looked like those nerves had got the better of him when he fired a tee shot out of bounds on the par-5 13th but he birdied the hole with his second ball. Another shot went at the 15th but he parred the last three to keep his nose in front and post a four-round total of 16-under-par.
The 21-year-old who is a senior at San Diego State University first played in this event as a 14-year-old in Santiago, Chile – the event where Joaquin Niemann secured the victory. Hastings is the second player from the Cayman Islands to win the LAAC following Aaron Jarvis who won in the Dominican Republic back in 2022.
“I had to stay in the moment and focus on one shot at a time,” he said. “It’s amazing that we now have two wins from the Cayman Islands. It’s just incredible.”
Patrick Sparks closed with an excellent 68 to finish runner-up. He was left to rue a missed par putt on the 17th. In the end it was the difference and the 23-year-old came up just one shot shy.
Three players were tied for third on 14-under, Segundo Oliva Pinto of Argentina, Gabriel Palacios of Guatemala and Gerardo Gomez of Mexico.
43-year-old Jeronimo Esteve of Puerto Rico finished an excellent tied 6th on 13-under. The full-time car dealer fired two 67s on Saturday.
The scoring at Pilar Golf was superb with 38 players under par for 72 holes.
Back to the champion - It’s a life changing win for Justin Hastings.
As the LAAC champion, he receives an invitation to compete in the 2025 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and automatically qualifies for The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush. He also earns a spot in the US Open - the 125th instalment - which will take place at Oakmont Country Club in June.
Hastings also receives full exemptions into The 130th Amateur Championship, the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.
Runner-up Sparks will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The 153rd Open and the 125th U.S. Open Championship.
Founded by The R&A, The Masters and The USGA, the LAAC was inaugurated with a view to developing the game of golf in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Since it was first contested in Buenos Aires in 2015, the 72-hole strokeplay tournament has produced great champions and a number of top players.
Joaquin Niemann of Chile who won the LAAC in 2018 on home soil in Santiago, is perhaps the best-known graduate.
Others to have played in the event include Nico Echavarria, Sebastian Munoz, Mito Pereira and Alvaro Ortiz.
The 2026 LAAC will be held at Lima Golf Club in Peru.
