Mexican Omar Morales caresses the big dream

Everything was so perfect that it seemed unreal. The return of dreams at the exact time and place. But the ghosts of golf have resurfaced and given a touch of uncertainty to the definition of the game Latin American Amateur Championship at the Santa María Golf Club in Panama. A double bogey on the 18th hole certainly does not spoil the golf exhibition that Omar Morales put on almost all Saturday for a round of 65 shots – the best in the championship – and a total of 203 (-7).

Mexican, the best on the field in world ranking of amateur golf (72nd in WAGR), leads his compatriot and friend for three Santiago de la Fuente, who scored 66 shots (-4) in this third round, two less than the other member of the last group, the Colombian Mateo Fuenmayor, who was third with 207. This Sunday the protagonists of the star group will be the same: Morales, De la Fuente and Fuenmayor.

On the day when the little birds appeared, absent in the early days, Morales He finished with a 5 and a remarkable eagle on the par-4 11th. “I really enjoyed the round, and even more so being at the LAAC, which is an amazing tournament. Now I’m going to rest, hit some shots, I don’t think I’ll have a hard time sleeping and I’m just thinking about tomorrow’s round before I go play. “There’s no point getting ahead of what you can’t control,” said the UCLA student, who had the luxury of hitting a tee shot at the last US Open, where he also had a good showing, and participating México Open, a PGA TOUR event. The championship leader is the only player with three rounds under (69-69-65).

when everything was perfect for Morales, a very bad swing with a driver on the 18th hole left him with the ball in the water, and he could not avoid a double bogey that opened a window to his pursuers who were first-hand witnesses to a game of golf that bordered on perfection.

“I was like in my zone, I didn’t think much about what was happening next to me, I didn’t even look at the boards, I concentrated on my game, shot by shot and I think I did it well and that led me to make the lap that I did. Regardless of what I’m doing, the previous shot has already happened and I’m working hard not to lose focus,” added the 20-year-old Mexican, who is participating in the LAAC for the second time after finishing 24th at Mayakoba. in 2020

for his part, Miguel Ordoñez is still the best Panamanian in the ranking and, although he lost seven places compared to Friday, he remains in the lead among domestic players with 72 goals and is in 25th place.

Amateur Championship of Latin America was created for the further development of amateur golf in South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. The champion will play the Masters tournament in 2024 at Augusta National, 152nd Open at Royal Troon and 124th US Open at Pinehurst no. 2. In addition, the runner-up(s) will receive an exemption from participation in the final stage of qualification with the possibility of entry to The Open and US Open 2024. In addition, the winner will be invited to participate in Amateur Championship and US Amateur Championship 2024like any other amateur championship USGA for which you are entitled.

SOME DATA:

Hole in One: This Saturday on the 17th hole of Santa María Golf Club, Chile’s Vicente Encina scored the second hole in one in history Amateur Championship of Latin America. He hit a 50° wedge from 143 yards and received a standing ovation from everyone at Santa María GC. The first was from a Colombian Nicolás Echavarría at Pilar Golf, 2015.

Top 5: No player outside the Top-5 after 54 holes were eventually won by LAAC. QThe furthest was Paul Chaplet who was 5th in Casa de Campo in 2016.