Justin Hastings is the new champion of the Latin America Amateur Championship, which concluded this Saturday in a marathon double round at Pilar Golf Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In a true test of physical and mental endurance, the Cayman Islands player totaled 272 strokes (-16) and became the second player from his country to win the flagship amateur golf event in the region.
Due to the forecast of severe storms for Sunday, the organizers decided to play the third and fourth rounds (36 holes) in a single day, adding drama to a conclusion that stretched into the evening. “It’s crazy to think about what I’ve accomplished; right now my head is spinning,” said an emotional Hastings after rounds of 64 (the best of the championship) and 72 strokes. In his six LAAC appearances, Hastings (ranked No. 52 in the WAGR) never missed the cut. On the contrary, he improved his results each year, culminating in a fourth-place finish in Panama in 2024.
“I’ve improved a lot mentally; I’ve been working on that, and I’m surprised at how well I handled it. I was able to stay very calm. I’m an emotional person, and that helped me a lot in the final 18,” said the San Diego State University student in California. Hastings will be the second Cayman Islands player to compete in the Masters and The Open and the first to play in the U.S. Open.
Aaron Jarvis, his compatriot, competed at Augusta National and the Old Course at St. Andrews (making the cut) after winning the 2022 LAAC at Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic. “Having two champions from the Cayman Islands is incredible, hard to explain. Aaron was a great example to follow,” added Hastings.
After a perfect morning (nine birdies and one bogey), Hastings set out to protect his lead in the final 18 holes. However, just before the start of the final round, a new delay postponed play by over an hour. With everything under control, nerves and pressure took their toll on Hastings starting at the 13th hole (par 5), where he hit out of bounds off the tee and ended with a bogey. On the 15th (par 4), his ball came within inches of the water on the second shot, and he carded another bogey. “When I saw the ball wasn’t in the water, I had a gut feeling this would be my tournament,” he smiled.
This was the first time all week Hastings faced doubts, compounded by the pressure from Patrick Sparks (birdie on the 13th and bogey on the 14th), who sank a critical putt on the 16th to tie for the lead with two holes remaining. However, the shadows of sunset fell on the Peruvian when he missed a key putt from just over a meter for par on the 17th (par 3). At that moment, Sparks lost the tournament, but he’ll have another chance next year when the 11th edition of the LAAC is held at Lima Golf Club in his home country.
“I’m very proud of my performance this week. Obviously, it stings to come up one shot short, but it keeps me motivated for the future, and I hope to do better next year in my country,” said Sparks, who graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2024.
Founded by the Masters Tournament, The R&A, and the USGA, the Latin America Amateur Championship was created to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Justin Hastings will play in the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National; The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush; and the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.
Additionally, Hastings will compete in The Amateur Championship and the 2025 U.S. Amateur. Sparks, for his part, will receive exemptions for the final qualifying stages of The Open and the 2025 U.S. Open, as well as an exemption for The Amateur Championship. These same benefits will also go to the three players who finished tied for third.
Segundo Oliva Pinto, who fought until the final holes, was the best-performing Argentine among the eleven who started the tournament. The 25-year-old from Córdoba finished tied for third place, earning his third top-10 finish in five appearances. Gerry Gómez (Mexico) and Gabriel Palacios (Guatemala) also tied for third, all with 274 strokes (-14).
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