Panama’s young golfers shine at the 2024 US Kids Invitational

More than 100 junior golfers from 10 countries were present at the US Kids Panama Invitational 2024, held at the Santa María Golf and Country Club, where Panamanians Samuel Durán and Leo Benedetti took home the honors in the 15-18 and 10-year-old categories, respectively .

In this international tournament, organized by the Panamanian Golf Association (APAGOLF) and supported by the US Kids Golf Foundation, Durán finished first with 272 strokes after three days of competition, followed by American Rhett O’Rear (218) and Colombian Gabriel Cruz (233).

Benedetti, for his part, scored 232 strokes on his card at the end of three rounds, followed by Colombian Simón Jaramillo and his compatriot Aurelio Gómez.

The Panama Invitational gives young golfers the opportunity to compete in a multi-day tournament to improve their playing status in the United States, at various levels, including regional, international and world championships.

During the competition, the Panamanians Federico Arango and Carlos Dunne stood out, finishing second and third, respectively, in the under-6 category, which was won by the Dominican Gustavo Rojas.

In the 7-year-old group, the Panamanian Tomás Ávila finished in third place, while the Colombian Gabriel Bello and the Costa Rican Mateo Gómez took the first places; while in the 8-year-old category, the second was the representative of Boquete, Daniel Floeck, who was overtaken by the Argentinian Mateo Álvarez; Panamanian Mateo Ospina took third place in the under-9 category, in a group dominated by Chilean Agustín Ruiz and Costa Rican Irak Lindstrom.

In the category under 11 years, won by Costa Rican Luka Tiger Peterman, Panamanians Ricardo Arango and Juan Raúl Boyd stood out, second and third place. Furthermore, in the category up to 12 years old, the Belgian Alexandre Schrevens celebrated, followed by the Panamanian Felipe Duncan, and in the category from 13 to 14 years old, dominated by the American Federico Montaner, the Panamanian Frank Morrice finished in third place.

Montserrat Fuentes won the women’s category, under 8 years old, and Chloe Pringent from Panama finished on the podium in third place. American Chloe Magwe triumphed in the 9 to 10-year-old group, followed by Panamanian Luz María González; while the Italian Sofía Jaén won in the 11- to 12-year-old category, as well as the Mexican Camila Méndez in the 13- to 14-year-old category and the Costa Rican Lojaijany Peterman in the 15- to 18-year-old category. Panama, in addition to directly contributing to the country’s economy, through tourism and trade.