Championships

Sixty players chase dream of playing in three majors at WALA

The R&A

24 Oct 23

3 mins

The Women's Amateur Latin America championship features top golfers from the region, including promising youngsters and experienced amateurs, showcasing a field of exceptional talent.

The third edition of the Women's Amateur Latin America championship will take place from 15–18 November, staged at Pilar Golf in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It will showcase 60 leading amateur golfers from Latin America and the Caribbean on the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®). The championship promises a powerful display of skill, owed in part to the rigorous training undertaken in anticipation of one of the most anticipated events in women's amateur golf. Each player is highly motivated to demonstrate their talent and compete for the chance to play in three major championships in 2024.

Countries represented

The R&A and the ANNIKA Foundation will be presenting a championship that features representation from 14 countries, including: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The countries with the most representatives in the field feature:

Argentina has a strong tradition in golf and hosts the championship with ten representatives who may have an advantage due to their familiarity with the course. Valentina Rossi, the defending champion, adds to the country's success in the championship.
Mexico will also have ten representatives. Mexico boasts a rich golfing history, with its players achieving notable success both nationally and internationally. They are inspired by the great legacy of Lorena Ochoa, and now driven by Gaby López and María Fassi, who are both succeeding on the LPGA Tour.
Colombia is renowned for producing talented golfers who have made their mark internationally. From Mariajo Uribe to Valery Plata, who won the inaugural Women's Amateur Latin America championship and is now on the LPGA Tour. With six golfers, they will arrive at Pilar Golf to continue the tradition of competing for the title.
In Chile, the golf scene is thriving thanks to the emergence of talented young golfers. Following the success of Chilean men's golf with renowned players Joaquín Niemann and Mito Pereira, the country aims to replicate this success in the women's game. In this edition, seven representatives will compete to help Chile clinch its first Women's Amateur Latin America championship title.
With a flourishing golf scene, Peru has produced promising players in recent years and will be sending seven representatives to the upcoming championship. The Peruvian Golf Federation's efforts with amateur players are paying off and this edition could be the one where they achieve a significant victory for the country.

Completing the overview of the nations and competitors attending the Women's Amateur Latin America championship in 2023, Bolivia will be represented by six golfers, with four from Venezuela, and two from Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay respectively. Barbados, Ecuador, Panama, and the Cayman Islands (participating for the first time) will be represented by one golfer each.

Aspiring to reach top

To highlight the quality on show, more than half of the field has ties to universities in the United States of America as past, current, or committed players. This is the most significant platform for the training of players who aspire to reach the highest level in the future. The youngest participant at Pilar Golf will be 14-year-old Venezuelan María Mercedes Tablante Marín, while the oldest will be 49-year-old Argentine María Olivero. The third edition of the Women's Amateur Latin America championship is expected to be thrilling and will represent a new milestone in women's golf across the region. The strength of the field, which is increasingly stronger each year, underscores the heightened level of competition. This year’s champion will play alongside the stars of women´s professional golf from around the world in three major championships next year: The Chevron Championship (in April at The Club at Carlton Woods, United States), The Amundi Evian Championship (11–14 July at the Evian Resort Golf Club, France) and the AIG Women´s Open (21–25 August over the Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland).