Mateo Pulcini of Argentina came through a playoff against Venezuela’s Virgilio Paz Valdes to win the 11th instalment of the Latin America Amateur Championship at Lima Golf Club in Peru.
With the win, the 25-year-old has earned an invitation to compete in the 2026 Masters Tournament and exemptions into The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and 126th US Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills.
Both Pulcini and Paz Valdes fired closing rounds of 68 to finish on five-under-par, two clear of Tomas Restrepo of Colombia and Paraguay’s Erich Fortlage.
Coming into the event at 174th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Pulcini is the oldest champion in the 11-year history of the Latin America Amateur and the third from Argentina after 2020 winner Abel Gallegos and 2023 winner Mateo Fernández de Oliveira.
“Unbelievable; having this opportunity to play this tournament and then of course to win it, it’s something that I just imagine before coming here,” said Pulcini, who played his final collegiate season at the University of Arkansas. “So, that was my thought every night before sleep and yesterday I was thinking I was 3 up on 18, different than I imagined but the same result.”
The best round of the day came from Brazil’s Herik Machado. He carded a 65 to finish the week at one-under-par.
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