The 2024 Latin America Amateur Championship is set to get underway Thursday in Panama City, Panama.
The event was created in 2014 as a joint initiative between Augusta National Golf Club (host of the Masters), the U.S. Golf Association (U.S. Open) and The R&A (Open Championship). Notable alumni include Fred Biondi, Nico Echavarria, Sebastian Munoz, Joaquin Niemann, Alvaro Ortiz, Raul Pereda, Mito Pereira and Alejandro Tosti.
The championship returns for the second time to Panama, which hosted the third edition in 2017 at Club de Golf de Panama.
Here’s everything you need to know for the 2024 Latin America Amateur Championship, including notables in the field and TV information.
Course
Santa Maria Golf Club
Where: Panama City, Panama
Designer: Jack Nicklaus
Details: Par 70, 7,107 yards
Format
The tournament is 72 holes of stroke play with a cut taking place after 36 holes for the leading 50 players plus ties. In the event of a tie after 72 holes, the winner is decided by a sudden-death playoff.
Field
There are 108 top male amateurs in Latin America representing the 29 IOC-recognized countries and territories from the region that are current members of the International Golf Federation.
Notables includes: Omar Morales from Mexico (74th in World Amateur Golf Ranking), Santiago de la Fuente, Mexico (89th); Justin Hastings, Cayman Islands (97th); Chris Richards Jr., Trinidad and Tobago (106th) and Jose Islas, Mexico (115). Argentina has the most players ranked in the top-15 of the field with four. Mexico and Bolivia have three each.
TV, streaming information
The championship will have three hours of live coverage all four days. A 30-minute wrap-up highlight show will also be produced after the conclusion of the final round. In addition to broadcasters around the world, the entire broadcast will be simulcast on LAACGolf.com. The television commentary team will feature Rich Lerner, Andy North, Colt Knost, Iona Stephen and John Sutcliffe.
ESPN will broadcast the LAAC from 2-5 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday with coverage shifting to 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.
Major invitations
The winner of the Latin America Amateur Championship receives invitations to three majors in 2024: the Masters, the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 and the Open Championship at Royal Troon.
There are also exemptions into the the Amateur Championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship for the winner. The runner(s)-up will receive an exemption into the Open Qualifying Series and the U.S. Open Qualifying Series.
