The R&A and the ANNIKA Foundation have formed a new alliance with Azteca Golf. This strategic partnership will bring the region’s most important women’s amateur championship to Mexico twice as part of a five-year agreement.
As part of this collaboration, it has been confirmed that Mexico will host the Women’s Amateur Latin America in 2025, marking the first time the event will occur in the country. This follows this week’s edition at Lima Golf Club, Peru, and the three previous ones at Pilar Golf, Argentina. The venue for next year’s championship will be announced later.
The 2025 championship will once again feature the most talented amateur golfers in the region, with the winner earning an invitation to the AIG Women’s Open and, as tradition holds, exemptions to The Chevron Championship and The Amundi Evian Championship.
“We look forward to working with Azteca Golf over the next five years to provide Latin America and the Caribbean’s top women amateur golfers with an opportunity to showcase their skills. Taking the championship to Mexico for the first time next year reaffirms the growth of the Women’s Amateur Latin America and the opportunity for players to gain exemptions into three Majors in 2026,” stated Mark Lawrie, Regional Managing Director for the R&A in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Annika Sörenstam, ten-time Major champion, added: “I am delighted that the Women’s Amateur Latin America will be played in Mexico next year. This is an exciting new chapter for the championship, and I believe it will bring even greater visibility and opportunities to the incredible talent we have in Latin America. Through this five-year partnership with Azteca Golf, we are committed to growing the game, inspiring young players, and showcasing Mexico’s rich golfing culture.”
Meanwhile, Federico Valdez, Director of Amateur Tournaments at Azteca Golf, said: “Grupo Salinas began promoting golf in 2017 with the WGC-Mexico Championship, First Tee Mexico, and more recently, the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, a PGA TOUR event held since 2022 in Vidanta, Vallarta. Our long-term commitment to the future of this sport led us to launch the High-Performance Azteca (ARA) program over a year ago, aimed at junior and amateur golfers from Latin America.”
“Azteca Golf, part of Grupo Salinas, is pleased to announce this new initiative, a strategic partnership with the R&A and the ANNIKA Foundation to promote the WALA in Mexico as a host in 2025. At Azteca Golf, we are very excited to work and collaborate to grow women’s golf in Latin America,” concluded Valdez.
Colombian Valery Plata won the first Women’s Amateur Latin America in 2021, followed by Argentina’s Valentina Rossi and Ela Anacona in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Anacona is part of the talented group of 60 players representing 12 countries at this week’s championship, which concludes on Sunday at Lima Golf Club.
The R&A and the ANNIKA Foundation organize the Women’s Amateur Latin America. In 2016, both organizations partnered to create the Annika Invitational Latin America, held until 2019 for players under 18. The goal is to strengthen the pathway to the sport’s highest levels and continue supporting the growth and development of women’s amateur golf in the region.
For more information, visit the championship’s website: walagolf.com, and follow WALA on Twitter and Instagram.