The Masters Tournament, The R&A, and the USGA announced on Thursday that the 12th edition of the Latin America Amateur Championship will return to Mayakoba at El Camaleón Golf Course, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, from January 14–17, 2027. It is worth noting that the LAAC was previously held there in 2020.
“The return to Mayakoba reflects the commitment of the Founding Partners to provide the most talented golfers in the region with the opportunity to compete each year on a world-class stage, and El Camaleón Golf Course is recognized for having hosted prestigious championships and tour events. We are excited to once again stage the Latin America Amateur Championship in Mexico and look forward to another memorable edition in 2027,” said Martin Hattrell, Chairman of The R&A, on behalf of the Founding Partners.
Founded in 2014 by the Masters Tournament, The R&A, and the USGA, the LAAC was created to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Each year, the championship is staged at top golf courses and features the region’s most outstanding amateur players. The champion earns an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, along with exemptions into The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.
Designed by Greg Norman and opened in 2004, El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba has hosted numerous professional events over the years, as well as the 2020 Latin America Amateur Championship, which was won by Argentina’s Abel Gallegos. Described as “where the jungle meets the sea,” the course blends tropical jungle, dense mangroves, and oceanfront holes divided by freshwater canals. Its most iconic hole is the par-5 7th, which features a limestone cenote in the middle of the fairway.
“Hosting the LAAC 2027 at Mayakoba is a milestone that reaffirms our destination’s status as a premier global hub for ultra-luxury and elite sports. As visionary stewards of this unique ecosystem, Mayakoba is dedicated to delivering world-class experiences that set a new standard of excellence in Mexico,” said Luis Durán, CEO of RLH Properties, the owner group of Mayakoba. “Being the host of this ‘Major’ of amateur golf allows us to showcase the incomparable beauty of El Camaleón while supporting the development of the region’s most outstanding talent. We are proud to offer a venue that reflects our unwavering commitment to quality and the enduring value of Mayakoba and Mexico,” he concluded.
Notable players from past editions include Colombians Nicolás Echavarría and Sebastián Muñoz, Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti, and Chileans Cristóbal Del Solar, Mito Pereira, and Joaquín Niemann, the latter being the champion in 2018. In 2019, Álvaro Ortiz became the first Mexican player to win the Latin America Amateur Championship, before Santiago de la Fuente joined the list of champions in 2024.
“We are excited to once again bring the Latin America Amateur Championship to Mayakoba and to Mexico, where golf in our country continues to grow, and the return of this championship will once again place Mexican golf on the world stage,” said Andrés Jurado Rivera Torres, President of the Mexican Golf Federation.
For more information about the LAAC, please visit LAACgolf.com and follow @LAAC_Golf on Twitter and Instagram.
About the Masters Tournament
Inspired by its founders, Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, the Masters Tournament has helped promote the game of golf since the tournament’s inception in 1934. The Masters’ efforts seek to preserve integrity, celebrate sportsmanship, applaud champions, positively impact communities through philanthropy, and reinvest as much as possible in the development of the game. The Masters Tournament is focused on stewarding the game of golf, especially for amateur and junior players around the world.
About The R&A
Based in St Andrews, Scotland, The R&A (whose name derives from the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, though it now operates independently) supports activities that benefit golf, organizes The Open Championship, major amateur events, and international tournaments. It is the global governing body for golf, representing more than 30 million golfers in 143 countries, with the consent of 158 amateur and professional organizations, except in the United States and Mexico, which fall under the jurisdiction of the USGA. Together with the USGA, it shares a single code for the Rules of Golf, Amateur Status, Equipment Standards, the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), and the World Handicap System (WHS).
About the USGA
Founded in 1894, the USGA develops the game of golf and conducts many of the premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open, the U.S. Women’s Open, and the U.S. Senior Open. Along with The R&A, the USGA governs the sport through a global set of rules for play, equipment, and amateur status. Its operational jurisdiction for these governing functions applies in the United States, its territories, and Mexico.
The USGA Handicap System is used in more than 40 countries, and its Course Rating System covers 95 percent of golf courses worldwide, allowing all golfers to play on a fair basis. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable future for the game. The campus also houses the USGA Golf Museum, where the game is honored through the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts.
