Justin Hastings is the new champion of the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) after a marathon double final round at Pilar Golf Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In a true test of physical and mental endurance, the Cayman Islands player finished with 272 strokes (-16) and has become the second player from his country to win the flagship amateur golf event in the region.
Three Majors await him. Thanks to his victory, Justin Hastings will play the Masters 2025 at Augusta National; the British Open at Royal Portrush; and the 125th U.S. Open to be held at Oakmont Country Club.
Due to the forecast of heavy storms for this Sunday, the organisers decided to play the third and fourth rounds (36 holes) on the same day, adding drama to a conclusion that ended almost at night. “It’s crazy to think about what I achieved, right now my head is spinning,” said the excited winner, after rounds of 64 (the best of the championship) and 72 strokes. In his six participations in the LAAC, Hastings (No.52 in the WAGR) has never missed the qualifying cut; on the contrary, he improved his results year by year until reaching fourth place in Panama 2024.
“I improved my mental game a lot, I’ve been working on that and I’m surprised how good I felt in that regard. I was able to stay very calm, I’m a person with a lot of emotions and that helped me in the last 18,” said the San Diego State University student in California, who will be the second Cayman Islands player to play the Masters and The Open and the first to compete in the U.S. Open.
Aaron Jarvis, his compatriot, played Augusta National and Old Course at St Andrews (made the cut), after winning the LAAC 2022 at Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic. “Having two champions from the Cayman Islands is something 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 the lead in the last 18 but just before the start of the final round, a new suspension delayed the restart of play by just over an hour. With everything under control, nerves and pressure appeared for Hastings from the 13th hole (par 5) when he hit it out with his tee shot and paid with a bogey. On the 15th (par 4) he was centimetres from the water with the second shot and also left with a bogey. “When I saw the ball wasn’t in the water, I had a feeling this would be my tournament,” he smiled.
There, the first doubts of Hastings appeared all week, further intensified by the pressure exerted by Patrick Sparks (birdie on 13 and bogey on 14), who holed a great putt on 16 to tie the lead with two holes to play. However, the shadows of the evening fell on the Peruvian, who missed a crucial putt from just over a metre for par on the 17th (par 3). At that moment, the tournament slipped away from Sparks, who will have a rematch in his country next year when the eleventh edition of the LAAC is held at the Lima Golf Club.
“I am very proud of my performance this week. Obviously, it hurts a bit to have been one stroke short, but it keeps me motivated for the future and I hope to do better next year in my country,” commented the player 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 and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Justin Hastings will play the Masters Tournament 2025 at Augusta National; The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush; and the 125th U.S. Open to be held at Oakmont Country Club.
Additionally, Hastings will play The Amateur Championship and the U.S. Amateur in 2025. Meanwhile, Sparks will receive exemptions for the final stages of qualifying for The Open and the U.S. Open in 2025 and an exemption for The Amateur Championship. This last benefit will also be granted to the three players who finished in third place.
Segundo Oliva Pinto, who fought until the last holes, was the best Argentine among the eleven who started the tournament. The 25-year-old from Córdoba finished tied for third place and achieved his third top ten in five participations. In the same position were Gerry Gómez (Mexico) and Gabriel Palacios (Guatemala), all with 274 strokes (-14).